An Hour Of Romance

There were thick leaves above me and around,

  And low sweet sighs like those of childhood's sleep,

Amidst their dimness, and a fitful sound

  As of soft showers on water; dark and deep

Lay the oak shadows o'er the turf, so still

They seem'd but pictured glooms: a hidden rill

Made music, such as haunts us in a dream,

Under the fern-tufts; and a tender gleam

Of soft green light, as by the glow-worm shed,

  Came pouring thro' the woven beech-boughs down,

And steep'd the magic page wherein I read

  Of royal chivalry and old renown,

A tale of Palestine. Meanwhile the bee

  Swept past me with a tone of summer hours,

  A drowsy bugle, wafting thoughts of flowers,

Blue skies, and amber sunshine: brightly free,

On filmy wings the purple dragon-fly

Shot glancing like a fairy javelin by;

And a sweet voice of sorrow told the dell

  Where sat the lone wood-pigeon:

                                            But ere long,

All sense of these things faded, as the spell

  Breathing from that high gorgeous tale grew strong

On my chain'd soul: 'twas not the leaves I heard

A Syrian wind the Lion-banner stirr'd,

Thro' its proud, floating folds: 'twas not the brook,

  Singing in secret thro' its grassy glen;

  A wild shrill trumpet of the Saracen

Peal'd from the desert's lonely heart, and shook

The burning air. Like clouds when winds are high,

O'er glittering sands flew steeds of Araby,

And tents rose up, and sudden lance and spear

Flash'd where a fountain's diamond wave lay clear,

Shadow'd by graceful palm-trees. Then the shout

Of merry England's joy swell'd freely out,

Sent thro' an eastern heaven, whose glorious hue

Made shields dark mirrors to its depths of blue:

And harps were there; I heard their sounding strings,

As the waste echoed to the mirth of kings.

The bright masque faded. Unto life's worn track,

What call'd me from its flood of glory, back?

A voice of happy childhood! and they pass'd,

Banner, and harp, and Paynim's trumpet's blast;

Yet might I scarce bewail the splendours gone,

My heart so leap'd to that sweet laughter's tone.