The haze of noon wanned silver-grey The soundless mansion of the sun: The air made visible in his ray, Like molten glass from furnace run, Quivered o'er heat-baked turf and stone And the flower of the gorse burned on -- Burned softly as gold of a child's fair hair Along each spiky spray, and shed Almond-like incense in the air Whereon our senses fed. At foot -- a few sparse harebells: blue And still as were the friend's dark eyes That dwelt on mine, transfixed through With sudden ecstatic surmise. 'Hst!' he cried softly, smiling, and lo, Stealing amidst that maze gold-green, I heard a whispering music flow From guileful throat of bird, unseen: -- So delicate the straining ear Scarce carried its faint syllabling Into a heart caught up to hear That inmost pondering Of bird-like self with self. We stood, In happy trance-like solitude, Hearkening a lullay grieved and sweet -- As when on isle uncharted beat 'Gainst coral at the palm-tree's root, With brine-clear, snow-white foam afloat, The wailing, not of water or wind -- A husht, far, wild, divine lament, When Prospero his wizardry bent Winged Ariel to bind. . . . Then silence, and o'er-flooding noon. I raised my head; smiled too. And he -- Moved his great hand, the magic gone -- Gently amused to see My ignorant wonderment. He sighed. 'It was a nightingale,' he said, 'That @3sotto voce@1 cons the song He'll sing when dark is spread; And Night's vague hours are sweet and long, And we are laid abed.' | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE LOVER PLEADS WITH HIS FRIENDS FOR OLD FRIENDS by WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS ADVICE TO A RAVEN IN RUSSIA by JOEL BARLOW MADRIGAL by WILLIAM DRUMMOND OF HAWTHORNDEN WHEN SHE COMES HOME by JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY THE RUNNER WITH THE LOTS by LEONIE ADAMS STORM AT SEA (1) by ALCAEUS OF MYTILENE EMBLEMS OF LOVE: 41. LOVE REQUIRES NO ENTREATIES by PHILIP AYRES |