ORPHEUS CAN I hear your soft step treading, Hear behind me your soft tread? A rebellious way we're threading, Life's pale pathway from the dead. EURYDICE Yours to see, but mine to hearken; I must pace on, I must pace, Though my face the black clouds darken, Death's black veil upon my face. ORPHEUS Upward, upward, each step takes us To the noise, the world, the sun; There the shadow's gloom forsakes us, There my love will make us one. EURYDICE No, I dare not, no, I dare not, Husband, brother, friend to me; I am a faint shadow; stare not -- Just a shadow you will see. ORPHEUS Trust me. At the end awaited, Like me, you shall greet the spring. I, with God's lyre consecrated, Songs of life for you shall sing. EURYDICE What can songs avail me, -- knowing Quiet that no words can tell? What is spring, -- who knew the sowing In the land of asphodel? ORPHEUS Ah, remember the green meadows, Laughing song and dancing feet, Ah, remember secret shadows, Hot embraces, shy and sweet! EURYDICE Dead my heart, my breast unshaken, -- How believe in your caress? I remember sleep, -- your spoken Words, poor friend, are meaningless. ORPHEUS Not remember! You forget me! Every moment I retrace. Not the grave itself will let me Be forgetful of your face. EURYDICE I recall, poor friend, sweet pleasure, And love too, like gentle sleep ... But in darkness without measure Your pale face I cannot keep. ORPHEUS Look at it! and Orpheus madly Turns it to the empty black, -- And her name repeated, sadly Through the shades re-echoes back. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...ON THE COUNTESS OF PEMBROKE by WILLIAM BROWNE (1591-1643) TO HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW; ON HIS BIRTHDAY, 27 FEB. 1867 by JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL TAPESTRY TREES by WILLIAM MORRIS (1834-1896) NEW FRIENDS AND OLD FRIENDS by JOSEPH PARRY THE CORAL GROVE by JAMES GATES PERCIVAL HOPE AND DESPAIR by LASCELLES ABERCROMBIE |