A 



After her wandering labours long, 

 Till free consent the gods among 

 Make her his eternal bride ; 

 And from her fair unspotted side 

 Two blissful twins are to be bom. 

 Youth and Joy ; so Jove hath sworn. 



But now my task is smoothly done, 

 I can fly, or I can run 

 Quickly to the green earth's end, 

 Where the bowed welkin slow doth bend ; 

 And from thence can soar as soon 

 To the comers of the moon. 



Mortals that would follow me, 

 Love Virtue ; she alone is free. 

 She can teach ye how to climb 

 Higher than the sphery chime ; 

 Or, if Virtue feeble were, 

 Heaven itself would stoop to her. 



SONG 



SPIRIT haunts the year's last hours 

 Dwelling amid these yellowing bowers : 



To himself he talks ; 

 For at eventide, listening earnestly. 

 At his work you may hear him sob and sigh 

 In the walks ; 



Earthward he boweth the heavy stalks 

 Of the mouldering flowers : 



Heavily hangs the broad sunflower 



Over its grave i' the earth so chilly ; 

 Heavily hangs the hollyhock, 

 Heavily hangs the tiger-lily. 



79 



