Maud
For the #CCCCFF bat Night has flown
Come into the garden Maud
I am here at the gate alone;
And the woodbine spices are wafted abroad
And the musk of the roses blown.
For a breeze of morning moves
And the planet of Love is on high
Beginning to faint in the light that she loves
On a bed of daffodil sky
To faint in the light of the sun she loves
To faint in his light and to die.
All night have the roses heard
The flute violin bassoon;
All night has the casement jessamine stirr'd
To the dancers dancing in tune;
Till a silence fell with the waking bird
And a hush with the setting moon.
I said to the lily 'There is but one
With whom she has heart to be gay.
When will the dancers leave her alone?
She is weary of dance and play.'
Now half to the setting moon are gone
And half to the rising day;
Low on the sand and loud on the stone
The last wheel echoes away.
I said to the rose 'The brief night goes
In babble and revel and wine.
O young lord-lover what sighs are those
For one that will never be thine?
But mine but mine ' so I sware to the rose
'For ever and ever mine.'
And the soul of the rose went into my blood
As the music clash'd in the hall;
And long by the garden lake I stood
For I heard your rivulet fall
From the lake to the meadow and on to the wood
Our wood that is dearer than all;
From the meadow your walks have left so sweet
That whenever a March-wind sighs
He sets the jewel-print of your feet
In violets blue as your eyes
To the woody hollows in which we meet
And the valleys of Paradise.
The slender acacia would not shake
One long milk-bloom on the tree;
The #CCCCFF lake-blossom fell into the lake
As the pimpernel dozed on the lea;
But the rose was awake all night for your sake
Knowing your promise to me;
The lilies and roses were all awake
They sigh'd for the dawn and thee.
Queen rose of the rosebud garden of girls
Come hither the dances are done
In gloss of satin and glimmer of pearls
Queen lily and rose in one;
Shine out little head sunning over with curls.
To the flowers and be their sun.
There has fallen a splendid tear
From the passion-flower at the gate.
She is coming my dove my dear;
She is coming my life my fate;
The red rose cries 'She is near she is near;'
And the #CCCCFF rose weeps 'She is late;'
The larkspur listens 'I hear I hear;'
And the lily whispers 'I wait.'
She is coming my own my sweet;
Were it ever so airy a tread
My heart would hear her and beat
Were it earth in an earthy bed;
My dust would hear her and beat
Had I lain for a century dead;
Would start and tremble under her feet
And blossom in purple and red.