I gazed awhile
    On her cold smile;
  Too cold—­too cold for me—­
    There passed, as a shroud,
    A fleecy cloud,
  And I turned away to thee,
    Proud Evening Star,
    In thy glory afar
  And dearer thy beam shall be;
    For joy to my heart
    Is the proud part
  Thou bearest in Heaven at night,
    And more I admire
    Thy distant fire,
  Than that colder, lowly light.

1827.

* * * * *

IMITATION.

  A dark unfathomed tide
  Of interminable pride—­
  A mystery, and a dream,
  Should my early life seem;
  I say that dream was fraught
  With a wild and waking thought
  Of beings that have been,
  Which my spirit hath not seen,
  Had I let them pass me by,
  With a dreaming eye! 
  Let none of earth inherit
  That vision on my spirit;
  Those thoughts I would control,
  As a spell upon his soul: 
  For that bright hope at last
  And that light time have past,
  And my wordly rest hath gone
  With a sigh as it passed on: 
  I care not though it perish
  With a thought I then did cherish.

1827.

* * * * *

“THE HAPPIEST DAY.”

I. The happiest day—­the happiest hour
My seared and blighted heart hath known,
The highest hope of pride and power,
I feel hath flown.

II.  Of power! said I?  Yes! such I ween
But they have vanished long, alas! 
The visions of my youth have been—­
But let them pass.

III.  And pride, what have I now with thee? 
Another brow may ev’n inherit
The venom thou hast poured on me—­
Be still my spirit!

IV.  The happiest day—­the happiest hour
Mine eyes shall see—­have ever seen
The brightest glance of pride and power
I feel have been: 

V. But were that hope of pride and power
Now offered with the pain
Ev’n then I felt—­that brightest hour
I would not live again: 

VI.  For on its wing was dark alloy
And as it fluttered—­fell
An essence—­powerful to destroy
A soul that knew it well.

1827.

* * * * *

Translation from the Greek.

HYMN TO ARISTOGEITON AND HARMODIUS.

I. Wreathed in myrtle, my sword I’ll conceal,
Like those champions devoted and brave,
When they plunged in the tyrant their steel,
And to Athens deliverance gave.

II.  Beloved heroes! your deathless souls roam
In the joy breathing isles of the blest;
Where the mighty of old have their home—­
Where Achilles and Diomed rest.

III.  In fresh myrtle my blade I’ll entwine,
Like Harmodius, the gallant and good,
When he made at the tutelar shrine
A libation of Tyranny’s blood.