| William Stanley Braithwaite, ed. The Book of Georgian Verse. 1909. | | | | On a Picture of Leander | | By John Keats (1795–1821) |
| | | COME hither all sweet maidens soberly, | |
| Down-looking aye, and with a chastened light | |
| Hid in the fringes of your eyelids white, | |
| And meekly let your fair hands joinèd be, | |
| As if so gentle that ye could not see, | 5 |
| Untouched, a victim of your beauty bright, | |
| Sinking away to his young spirit’s night, | |
| Sinking bewildered ’mid the dreary sea: | |
| ’Tis young Leander toiling to his death; | |
| Nigh swooning, he doth purse his weary lips | 10 |
| For Hero’s cheek, and smiles against her smile. | |
| O horrid dream! see how his body dips | |
| Dead-heavy; arms and shoulders gleam awhile: | |
| He’s gone; up bubbles all his amorous breath! | | | | |
|
|
