The Poems of William Watson

The Poems of William Watson

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Title: The Poems of William Watson
Author: William Watson
Release Date: August 15, 2004 [EBook #13179]
Language: English
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THE POEMS OF WILLIAM WATSON

New York MACMILLAN AND CO. AND LONDON 1893

Norwood Press J.S. Cushing & Co.--Berwick & Smith. Boston, Mass.,
U.S.A.

CONTENTS
MISCELLANEOUS-- PRELUDE AUTUMN
WORLD-STRANGENESS "WHEN BIRDS WERE SONGLESS"

THE MOCK SELF "THY VOICE FROM INMOST DREAMLAND
CALLS" IN LALEHAM CHURCHYARD THE FLIGHT OF YOUTH
"NAY, BID ME NOT MY CARES TO LEAVE" A CHILD'S HAIR
THE KEY-BOARD "SCENTLESS FLOW'RS I BRING THEE" ON
LANDOR'S "HELLENICS" To ---- ON EXAGGERATED
DEFERENCE TO FOREIGN LITERARY OPINION ENGLAND TO
IRELAND MENSIS LACRIMARUM "UNDER THE DARK AND
PINY STEEP" THE BLIND SUMMIT TO LORD TENNYSON
SKETCH OF A POLITICAL CHARACTER ART MAXIMS THE
GLIMPSE THE BALLAD OF THE "BRITAIN'S PRIDE" LINES THE
RAVEN'S SHADOW LUX PERDITA ENGLAND AND HER
COLONIES HISTORY THE EMPTY NEST IRELAND THE
LUTE-PLAYER "AND THESE--ARE THESE INDEED THE END"
THE RUSS AT KARA LIBERTY REJECTED LIFE WITHOUT
HEALTH TO A FRIEND, CHAFING AT ENFORCED IDLENESS
FROM INTERRUPTED HEALTH "WELL HE SLUMBERS,
GREATLY SLAIN" AN EPISTLE TO AUSTIN DOBSON TO
EDWARD CLODD TO EDWARD DOWDEN FELICITY VER
TENEBROSUM, SONNETS OF MARCH AND APRIL 1885-- THE
SOUDANESE HASHEEN THE ENGLISH DEAD GORDON
GORDON _(concluded)_ THE TRUE PATRIOTISM RESTORED
ALLEGIANCE THE POLITICAL LUMINARY FOREIGN MENACE
HOME-ROOTEDNESS OUR EASTERN TREASURE REPORTED
CONCESSIONS NIGHTMARE LAST WORD: TO THE COLONIES
EPIGRAMS WORDSWORTH'S GRAVE LACHRYMÆ MUSARUM
DEDICATION OF "THE DREAM OF MAN" THE DREAM OF
MAN SHELLEY'S CENTENARY A GOLDEN HOUR AT THE
GRAVE OF CHARLES LAMB LINES IN A FLYLEAF OF
"CHRISTABEL" LINES TO OUR NEW CENSOR RELUCTANT
SUMMER THE GREAT MISGIVING "THE THINGS THAT ARE
MORE EXCELLENT" BEAUTY'S METEMPSYCHOSIS ENGLAND
MY MOTHER NIGHT THE FUGITIVE IDEAL "THE FORESTERS"
SONG COLUMBUS THE PRINCE'S QUEST ANGELO THE
QUESTIONER THE RIVER CHANGED VOICES A SUNSET A
SONG OF THREE SINGERS LOVE'S ASTROLOGY THREE
FLOWERS THREE ETERNITIES LOVE OUTLOVED
VANISHINGS BEETHOVEN GOD-SEEKING SKYFARING

MISCELLANEOUS

PRELUDE
The mighty poets from their flowing store Dispense like casual alms
the careless ore; Through throngs of men their lonely way they go, Let
fall their costly thoughts, nor seem to know.-- Not mine the rich and
showering hand, that strews The facile largess of a stintless Muse. A
fitful presence, seldom tarrying long, Capriciously she touches me to
song-- Then leaves me to lament her flight in vain, And wonder will
she ever come again.

AUTUMN
Thou burden of all songs the earth hath sung, Thou retrospect in Time's
reverted eyes, Thou metaphor of everything that dies, That dies
ill-starred, or dies beloved and young And therefore blest and wise,-- O
be less beautiful, or be less brief, Thou tragic splendour, strange, and
full of fear! In vain her pageant shall the Summer rear? At thy mute
signal, leaf by golden leaf, Crumbles the gorgeous year.
Ah, ghostly as remembered mirth, the tale Of Summer's bloom, the
legend of the Spring! And thou, too, flutterest an impatient wing, Thou
presence yet more fugitive and frail, Thou most unbodied thing, Whose
very being is thy going hence, And passage and departure all thy theme;
Whose life doth still a splendid dying seem, And thou at height of thy
magnificence A figment and a dream.
Stilled is the virgin rapture that was June, And cold is August's panting
heart of fire; And in the storm-dismantled forest-choir For thine own
elegy thy winds attune Their wild and wizard lyre: And poignant grows
the charm of thy decay, The pathos of thy beauty, and the sting, Thou
parable of greatness vanishing! For me, thy woods of gold and skies of
grey With speech fantastic ring.
For me, to dreams resigned, there come and go, 'Twixt mountains
draped and hooded night and morn, Elusive notes in wandering wafture
borne, From undiscoverable lips that blow An immaterial horn; And
spectral seem thy winter-boding trees, Thy ruinous bowers and drifted
foliage wet-- Past and Future in sad bridal met, O voice of everything

that perishes, And soul of all regret!

WORLD-STRANGENESS
Strange the world about me lies, Never yet familiar grown-- Still
disturbs me with surprise, Haunts me like a face half known.
In this house with starry dome, Floored with gemlike plains and seas,
Shall I never feel at home, Never