STILL as a star came to my breast A joy unbidden, Not to be known, not to be guessed, So fair, so hidden; And now within 'tis like the starry night, The unimagined pure ethereal height, Trembling in loneliness at its own light. Heaven of my joy, fair though thou art, A light for ever, Yet there's a grief hid in my heart Like the great river. At times a little while it seems to sleep, And then a voice cries to it from the deep, And all its floods over my spirit sweep. Hast thou a joy? Though but a flow'r, O maiden, bring it! Though but a dream of morning hour, Yet will I sing it. And as a bird that calls its mate my strain —Listen, the lute begins like falling rain— Shall call the Spring and Spring return again. Hast thou a fear hid in thy heart, A sorrow sleeping? Light though it be, soon to depart, I'll sing it weeping. The ruined shrines shall answer as I sing, In hollow tombs of many an ancient king Forgotten woes shall waken murmuring. Then in my song, maiden, I'll weave The world's emotion, Passion of souls that laugh and grieve, And Earth and Ocean. The silver spheres shall hush awhile their quire, Saying, 'Return, lost star of our desire, Lend us again thy music and thy fire.' Only my joy, only my pain May not be spoken. These would I tell, earthward again The song drops broken. Sleeping I dream my joy, my sorrow sing. I wake—the lonely night is listening To one long sigh, breathed from a shattered string. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...SPOON RIVER ANTHOLOGY: MRS. SIBLEY by EDGAR LEE MASTERS THE CROWING OF THE RED COCK by EMMA LAZARUS SIR W. TRELOAR'S DINNER FOR CRIPPLED CHILDREN by EDMUND CHARLES BLUNDEN GRISELDA: CHAPTER 2 by WILFRID SCAWEN BLUNT THE DOCTOR by THOMAS EDWARD BROWN BALLAD TO A FRENCH TUNE (2) by PATRICK CAREY TOWARDS DEMOCRACY: PART 4. I SAW A FAIR HOUSE by EDWARD CARPENTER |