THEVATICAN—SALADELLEMUSE
(1887)
IsatintheMuses\'Hallatthemidoftheday,Anditseemedtogrowstill,andthepeopletopassaway,Andthechiselledshapestocombineinahazeofsun,TillbesideaCarraracolumntheregleamedforthOne。
Shewasnorthisnorthatofthosebeingsdivine,Buteachandthewhole—anessenceofalltheNine;
Withtentativefootshenearedtomyhalting—place,Apensivesmileonhersweet,small,marvellousface。
\"Regardedsolong,werendertheesad?\"saidshe。
\"Notyou,\"sighedI,\"butmyowninconstancy!
Iworshipeachandeach;inthemorningone,Andthen,alas!anotheratsinkofsun。
\"To—daymysoulclaspsForm;butwhereismytrothOfyesternightwithTune:canonecleavetoboth?\"
—\"Benotperturbed,\"saidshe。\"Thoughapartinfame,AsIandmysistersareone,those,too,arethesame。
—\"Butmylovesgofurther—toStory,andDance,andHymn,Theloverofallinasun—sweepisfooltowhim
Isswayedlikeariver—weedastheripplesrun!\"
—\"Nay,wight,thousway\'stnot。Thesearebutphasesofone;
\"AndthatoneisI;andIamprojectedfromthee,Onethatoutofthybrainandheartthoucausesttobe
Externtotheenothing。Grievenot,northyselfbecall,Woowherethouwilt;andrejoicethoucanstloveatall!
ROME
ATTHEPYRAMIDOFCESTIUS
NEARTHEGRAVESOFSHELLEYANDKEATS
(1887)
Who,then,wasCestius,Andwhatishetome?
AmidthickthoughtsandmemoriesmultitudinousOnethoughtalonebringshe。
IcanrecallnowordOfanythinghedid;
FormeheisamanwhodiedandwasinterredToleaveapyramidWhosepurposewasexprestNotwithitsfirstdesign,Nortill,fardowninTime,besideitfoundtheirrestTwocountrymenofmine。
Cestiusinlife,maybe,Slew,breathedoutthreatening;
Iknownot。ThisIknow:indeathallsilentlyHedoesakindlierthing,InbeckoningpilgrimfeetWithmarblefingerhighTowhere,byshadowywallandhistory—hauntedstreet,Thosematchlesssingerslie
—Say,then,helivedanddiedThatstoneswhichbearhisnameShouldmark,throughTime,wheretwoimmortalShadesabide;
Itisanamplefame。
LAUSANNE
INGIBBON\'SOLDGARDEN:11—12P。M。
June27,1897
(The110thanniversaryofthecompletionofthe\"DeclineandFall\"atthesamehourandplace)
Aspiritseemstopass,Formalinpose,butgraveandgrandwithal:
Hecontemplatesavolumestoutandtall,Andfarlampsfleckhimthroughthethinacacias。
Anonthebookisclosed,With\"Itisfinished!\"Andatthealley\'sendHeturns,andsoononmehisglancesbend;
And,asfromearth,comesspeech—small,muted,yetcomposed。
\"HowfarestheTruthnow?—Ill?
—Dopensbutslilyfurtherheradvance?
Mayonenotspeedherbutinphraseaskance?
DoscribesavertheComictobeReverendstill?
\"StillrulethosemindsonearthAtwhomsageMilton\'swormwoodwordswerehurled:
\'TruthlikeabastardcomesintotheworldNeverwithoutill—fametohimwhogivesherbirth\'?\"
ZERMATT
TOTHEMATTERHORN
(June—July,1897)
Thirty—twoyearssince,upagainstthesun,Sevenshapes,thinatomiestolowersight,Labouringlyleaptandgainedthygabledheight,Andfourlivespaidforwhatthesevenhadwon。
Theywerethefirstbywhomthedeedwasdone,AndwhenIlookatthee,mymindtakesflightTothatday\'stragicfeatofmanlymight,Asthough,tillthen,ofhistorythouhadstnone。
Yetageserementoppedthee,lateandsoonThouwatch\'dsteachnighttheplanetsliftandlower;
Thougleam\'dsttoJoshua\'spausingsunandmoon,Andbrav\'dstthetokeningskywhenCaesar\'spowerApproacheditsbloodyend:yea,saw\'stthatNoonWhendarknessfilledtheearthtilltheninthhour。
THEBRIDGEOFLODI{2}
(Spring,1887)
I
WhenoftendermindandbodyIwasmovedbyminstrelsy,Andthatstrain\"TheBridgeofLodi\"
Broughtastrangedelighttome。
II
Inthebattle—breathingjingleOfitsforward—footingtuneIcouldseethearmiesmingle,AndthecolumnscleftandhewnIII
Onthatfar—famedspotbyLodiWhereNapoleonclovehiswayTohisfame,whenlikeagodheBentthenationstohissway。
IV
HencethetunecamecaperingtomeWhileItracedtheRhoneandPo;
NorcouldMilan\'sMarvelwoomeFromthespotenglamouredso。
V
Andto—day,sunlitandsmiling,HereIstanduponthescene,Withitssaffronwalls,duntiling,Anditsmeadsofmaidengreen,VI
EvenaswhenthetrackwaythunderedWiththechargeofgrenadiers,AndthebloodoffortyhundredSplasheditsparapetsandpiers
VII
AnyancientcroneI\'dtoadyLikealassinyoung—eyedprime,CouldshetellsometaleofLodiAtthatmovingmightytime。
VIII
So,IaskthewivesofLodiFortraditionsofthatday;
Butalas!notanybodySeemstoknowofsuchafray。
IX
AndtheyheedbuttransitoryMarketingsincheeseandmeat,TillIjudgethatLodi\'sstoryIsextinctinLodi\'sstreet。
X
YetwhilehereandtheretheythridthemIntheirzesttosellandbuy,LetmesitmedownamidthemAndbeholdthosethousandsdie
XI
—NotacreaturecaresinLodiHowNapoleonswepteacharch,Orwhereupanddownwardtrodhe,OrforhismemorialMarch!
XII
SothatwhereforeshouldIbehere,WatchingAddalipthelea,WhenthewholeromancetoseehereIsthedreamIbringwithme?
XIII
Andwhysing\"TheBridgeofLodi\"
AsIsitthereonandswing,WhennoneshowsbysmileornodheGuesseswhyorwhatIsing?
XIV
SinceallLodi,lowandheadones,Seemtopassthatstoryby,ItmaybetheLodi—bredonesRateittruly,andnotI。
XV
OnceengrossingBridgeofLodi,Isthyclaimtoglorygone?
MustIpipeapalinody,Orbesilentthereupon?
XVI
Andifhere,fromstrandtosteeple,Benostonetofamethefight,MustIsaytheLodipeopleArebutviewingcrimearight?
XVII
Nay;I\'llsing\"TheBridgeofLodi\"
Thatlong—loved,romanticthing,ThoughnoneshowbysmileornodheGuesseswhyandwhatIsing!