| |
| HYMETTUS’ bees are out on filmy wing, | |
| Dim Phosphor slowly fades adown the west, | |
| And Earth awakes. Shine on me, O my king! | |
| For I with dew am laden and oppressed. | |
| |
| Long through the misty hours of morning gray | 5 |
| The flowers have watched to hail thee from yon sea! | |
| Sad Asphodel, that pines to meet thy ray, | |
| And Juno’s roses, pale for love of thee. | |
| |
| Perchance thou dalliest with the Morning Hour, | |
| Whose blush is reddening now the eastern wave; | 10 |
| Or to the cloud forever leavest thy flower, | |
| Wiled by the glance white-footed Thetis gave. | |
| |
| I was a proud Chaldean monarch’s child! | |
| Euphrates’ waters told me I was fair,— | |
| And thou, Thessalia’s shepherd, on me smiled, | 15 |
| And likened to thine own my amber hair. | |
| |
| Thou art my life,—sustainer of my spirit! | |
| Leave me not then in darkness here to pine; | |
| Other hearts love thee, yet do they inherit | |
| A Passionate devotedness like mine? | 20 |
| |
| But lo! thou lift’st thy shield o’er yonder tide: | |
| The dun clouds fly before the conquering Sun; | |
| Thou like a monarch up the heavens dost ride,— | |
| And, joy! thou beam’st on me, celestial one! | |
| |
| On me, thy worshipper, thy poor Parsee, | 25 |
| Whose brow adoring types thy face divine; | |
| God of my burning heart’s idolatry, | |
| Take root like me, or give me life like thine! | |
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