It fell upon a little western flower,- wound, And maidens call it, love-in-idleness. WILLIAM SHAKSPERE. YESTERDAY. "ESTERDAY, darling-only yesterday, WHY NOT? WHEN woman loves, and will not show it, I asked a scholar, and a poet, But neither wise fool seemed to know it; Were you in love (let me suppose it), What should your lover do? The heavens were bright, and all the on why yo, love, to han disclose it, You know him and he knows it; earth was fair; Love's golden radiance fell upon our way- A thousand wild flowers trembled round our feet, We saw the lilac boughs above us sway; And heard the woodlark singing high and sweet, Yesterday, darling-only yesterday. Yesterday, darling-only yesterday, With lips apart and hair of russet brown, You came, dear heart, across the flower-decked way, Sweeping the grasses with your trailing Upon your cheek there was a wild-rose glow, me so, Yesterday, darling-only yesterday. Yesterday, darling-only yesterday, A soft breeze stealing from the sunny south The boughs caressed you as you came along, Yesterday, darling-only yesterday; Ah, me! ah, me! but yesterday is-dead: The sun still shines across the flower-decked way, And still the woodlark warbles overhead; But in the shadows of a great despair, I weep, dear heart, upon the weary way, For love's bright dream, that made the earth so fair Yesterday, darling-only yesterday. In my love's veins thou hast too grossly dy'd. The lily I condemned for thy hand, And buds of marjoram had stolen thy hair: The roses fearfully on thorns did stand, One blushing shame, another white despair; A third, nor red nor white had stolen of both. And to his robbery had annex'd thy breath; But for his theft, in pride of all his growth A vengeful canker eat him up to death. More flowers I noted, yet I none could see. But sweet or colour it had stolen from thee. WILLIAM SHAKSPERE. SONG. (From "Merchant of Venice," Act III., Scene 2.) Reply. It is engender'd in the eyes, All. Ding, dong, bell. WILLIAM SHAKSPERE. KNOW, not, love, when first you found me, I know the world has changed around me I yield a thousand claims to nourish this, How lightly passed the maiden leisure So swift a touch could set the tune amiss! O love, your coming taught me trouble; E'en so-but why the tale reveal Of those, whom year by year unchanged, Brief absence joined anew to feel, Astounded, soul from soul estranged. At dead of night their sails were filled, Or wist, what first with dawn appeared! To veer, how vain! On, onward strain, Brave barks! In light and darkness too. Through winds and tides one compass guidesTo that, and your own selves, be true. But, O blithe breeze! and O great seas, One port, methought, alike they sought, O bounding breeze, O rushing seas! At last, at last, unite them there. ARTHUR HUGH CLOUGH. THE CHESS-BOARD. Y little love, do you remember, Ere we were grown so sadly wise, Those evenings in the bleak December, Curtained warm from the snowy weather, When you and I played chess together, Checkmated by each other's eyes? Ah! still I see your soft white hand Hovering warm o'er queen and knight; Brave pawns in valiant battle stand; The double castles guard the wings; The bishop, bent on distant things, Moves sidling through the fight. Our fingers touch, our glances meet And falter, falls your golden hair Against my cheek; your bosom sweet Is heaving; down the field, your queen Rides slow her soldiery all between, Ah me! the little battle's done, This, this, at least-if this alone- And eyes exchanging warmth with eyes, Play chess as then we played together! EDWARD ROBERT, EARL LYTTON. (Owen Meredith.") EDWARD ROBERT, EARL LYTTON. "TAKE, OH TAKE THOSE LIPS AWAY." Also found in (From "The Passionate Pilgrim."" "Measure for Measure, "Act IV., Scene 1. It occurs in the Rollo" of Beaumont and Fletcher, to whom it is often attributed.) MAKE, oh take those lips away, That so sweetly were forsworn; |