Pompeii. William Gibson (1826-1887). Pompeii. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. 1876-79. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes. Italy: Vols. XI-XIII

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
Italy: Vols. XI–XIII. 1876–79.

Pompeii

William Gibson (1826–1887)


I TROD old footprints in their streets, their halls,—
The people of Pompeii! and I heard—
As, along pillared vistas, light winds stirred
The natural-leaved Corinthian capitals—
Rustlings, like wide-waved skirts, and plaintive calls	5
And answers, as though gods were disinterred
With these, their antique altars, sepulchred
Long as the Cæsars. How came perfect walls
Of fresco thus unroofed? As falls the foot
On rich mosaic, in domestic courts,	10
The marble echo with vain reason sports;
The Lares all too vivid to be mute!
Plash on, O fount,—they told me thou wast dried!
Was thine that lyre, Ione?—Glaucus calls his bride!