Arachnia Author:James Robertson Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: AT ROSLIN Cloy them, cousin Alice, From the brimming chalice Of that dewy eye; Surfeit them, bright maiden, From those lips o'erladen With clear melod... more »y. Sure 'twas some sweet ringing Of such silver singing Borne adown the breeze, Mariners encharming Lured them to their harming In Italian seas. H.M.S. IRIS My soul through all the watches of the night In saddest vigil holds her tearful fast, Nor pastures wonted harvest of delight But ruthful memories of the envenomed past; So the harsh cuckoo rapes the songster's nest, And juice of brightest flowers is bitterest. Not now in fairy shallop down the seas Of phantasy she skims from isle to isle, Gathering what new conceits may serve to please And earnest joy beget or merry smile,— Gems for rich store and fruits for present using,— Loves to withstand her, all the others losing. The gaunt assessors of her orphanhood, Her silent fellows through the constant hours, No nimble sprites are these, no jocund brood Of mythic errantry or lover's bowers, But horrors of inextricable trance And wannest ghosts of buried circumstance. Whoso with bursting pulse and shuddering tread Upon the midnight through God's acre walks, Being wrung with agony that from the dead Some wanderer pace for pace beside him stalks, Learns to descry the features of a friend And turn preamble sad to holy end. And this strong flood that surges o'er the heart And sweeps in ruin through its smiling plains, With riot weary, sinking part by part, Shall leave it fertile of more generous gains:— The sweetest peace to sharpest war replies, And flame that hottest burns best purifies. Grey breaks the dawn; and I with heavy heart, All weary with the wrestling of its grief, Call the da...« less