| James and Mary Ford, eds. Every Day in the Year. 1902. | | | | February 29 | | Rossini | | By John Todhunter (1839–1916) |
| | | | Gioachino Antonio Rossini, the famous Italian composer, was born Feb. 29, 1792. |
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THE GHOSTLY wind of Weber’s northern pines, | |
| With its luxurious dread, ne’er haunted thee; | |
| Maddening the heart like bright Circean wines, | |
| Thy siren songs float o’er the sunlit sea; | |
| Thy Faun-like childhood caught a Pagan glee | 5 |
| From mellow clusters, bending trellised vines | |
| In some warm Tuscan vale, where sunset shines | |
| On vintage dance and jocund minstrelsy. | |
| If life were but a Bacchanal procession | |
| Of sensuous joys, thou wert its great high-priest, | 10 |
| Old Pan of music, who, half-god, half-beast, | |
| On the shy nymph of tears mak’st bold aggression: | |
| Yet in thy bowers we sit at endless feast, | |
| And of thy gorgeous realm take rich possession. | | | |
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