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(From Granada)
MANY a league from end to end | |
| That lovely vega doth extend; | |
| Many a mile from side to side | |
| Its fair expanse doth open wide, | |
| Engirt by mountain walls that bound | 5 |
| The glorious landscape spread around, | |
| Which, canopied by cloudless skies, | |
| A scene of matchless beauty lies, | |
| Where Nature hath with lavish hand | |
| Strewed all the gifts at her command, | 10 |
| And fruits and flowers of every clime | |
| Spontaneous revel in their prime, | |
| And all around, below, above, | |
| Seems formed for beauty, peace, and love. | |
| Alas that ever ruthless war | 15 |
| So fair a spot of earth should mar, | |
| Or that an Eden such as this | |
| Should witness aught but scenes of bliss! | |
| Here, where a thousand fragrant flowers | |
| Adorn the shady, vine-clad bowers; | 20 |
| Here, where the nightingale’s soft note | |
| Doth on the perfumed zephyr float, | |
| And where the lover’s lute alone | |
| Should breathe the only passion known. | |
| Yet of the vega not a rood | 25 |
| But hath been drenched with Moorish blood, | |
| Nor is there rock or height around | |
| That hath not rung with battle’s sound. | |
| The last of that heroic race | |
| Here made their chosen dwelling-place, | 30 |
| And here, for centuries, defied | |
| Their ancient foemen’s strength and pride. | |
| Many and many a time again | |
| Had Christians sought to reach that plain, | |
| And found their utmost efforts vain; | 35 |
| And many a valiant man lay dead | |
| Before their tents were on it spread. | |
| But discord brought the unhappy hour | |
| Deprived the Moslem arm of power; | |
| The fatal issue, long forecast, | 40 |
| In common ruin came at last. | |
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