THE BALLAD OF THE DARK LADIE A FRAGMENT. BENEATH yon birch with silver bark, And there upon the moss she sits, The Dark Ladie in silent pain; The heavy tear is in her eye, And drops and swells again. Three times she sends her little page The sun was sloping down the sky, She hears a rustling o'er the brook, She springs, she clasps him round the neck, She sobs a thousand hopes and fears, Her kisses glowing on his cheeks "My friends with rude ungentle words "My Henry, I have given thee much, I I gave my heart, I gave my peace, The Knight made answer to the Maid, "The fairest one shall be my love's, "Wait only till the hand of eve Hath wholly closed yon western bars, "The dark? the dark? No! not the dark? The twinkling stars? How, Henry? How? O God! 'twas in the eye of noon He pledged his sacred vow' “And in the eye of noon, my love, "But first the nodding minstrels go "And then my love and I shall pace, My jet black hair in pearly braids, Between our comely bachelors And blushing bridal maids.' LEWTI, OR THE CIRCASSIAN LOVE-CHAUNT. AT midnight by the stream I roved, The Moon was high, the moonlight gleam And the shadow of a star Heaved upon Tamaha's stream; But the rock shone brighter far, Till it reached the moon at last: And with such joy I find my Lewti; Drinks in as deep a flush of beauty! Nay, treacherous image! leave my mind, If Lewti never will be kind. The little cloud-it floats away, Alas! it has no power to stay: As white as my poor cheek will be, Nay, treacherous image! leave my mind- I saw a vapour in the sky, I ne'er beheld so thin a cloud: Perhaps the breezes that can fly Have snatched aloft the lawny shroud For maids, as well as youths, have perished Nay, treacherous image! leave my For Lewti never will be kind. Hush! my heedless feet from under mind Slip the crumbling banks for ever: Like echoes to a distant thunder, They plunge into the gentle river. The river-swans have heard my tread, And startle from their reedy bed. O beauteous birds! methinks ye measure Your movements to some heavenly tune! O beauteous birds! 'tis such a pleasure To see you move beneath the moon, I would it were your true delight To sleep by day and wake all night. |