3. Fade far away, dissolve, and quite forget Here, where men sit and hear each other groan; Where Beauty cannot keep her lustrous eyes, 4. Away! away! for I will fly to thee, Not charioted by Bacchus and his pards, But on the viewless wings of Poesy, Though the dull brain perplexes and retards : And haply the Queen-Moon is on her throne, Save what from heaven is with the breezes blown 5. I cannot see what flowers are at my feet, The coming musk-rose, full of dewy wine, 6. Darkling I listen; and for many a time I have been half in love with easeful Death, Called him soft names in many a mused rhyme, To take into the air my quiet breath; Now more than ever seems it rich to die, To cease upon the midnight with no pain, While thou art pouring forth thy soul abroad In such an ecstasy! Still wouldst thou sing, and I have ears in vainTo thy high requiem become a sod. 7. Thou wast not born for death, immortal Bird! The same that oft-times hath Charmed magic casements, opening on the foam Of perilous seas, in faery lands forlorn. 8. Forlorn! the very word is like a bell To toll me back from thee to my sole self! As she is famed to do, deceiving elf. Was it a vision, or a waking dream? Fled is that music-do I wake or sleep? ODE ON A GRECIAN URN. I. Thou still unravished bride of quietness! A flowery tale more sweetly than our rhyme : In Tempe or the dales of Arcady? What men or gods are these? What maidens loath? What mad pursuit? What struggle to escape? What pipes and timbrels? What wild ecstasy? 2. Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard Pipe to the spirit ditties of no tone: Fair youth, beneath the trees, thou canst not leave Thy song, nor ever can those trees be bare; Bold Lover, never, never canst thou kiss, Though winning near the goal-yet, do not grieve; She cannot fade, though thou hast not thy bliss, For ever wilt thou love, and she be fair! 3. Ah, happy, happy boughs! that cannot shed For ever piping songs for ever new; More happy love! more happy, happy love! All breathing human passion far above, 4. Who are these coming to the sacrifice? To what green altar, O mysterious priest, Lead'st thou that heifer lowing at the skies, And all her silken flanks with garlands drest? What little town by river or sea-shore, Or mountain-built with peaceful citadel, Is emptied of its folk, this pious morn? And, little town, thy streets for evermore Will silent be; and not a soul to tell Why thou art desolate, can e'er return. 5. O Attic shape! Fair attitude! with brede When old age shall this generation waste, Thou shalt remain, in midst of other woe Than ours, a friend to man, to whom thou say'st: 'Beauty is truth, truth beauty,—that is all Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.' ODE. Bards of Passion and of Mirth, With the whisper of heaven's trees Browsed by none but Dian's fawns ; Thus ye live on high, and then On the earth ye live again; Bards of Passion and of Mirth, Ye have left your souls on earth! Ye have souls in heaven too, Double-lived in regions new! |