The thousand painful steps at last are trod,
  At last the temple’s difficult door we win;
But perfect on his pedestal, the god
  Freezes us hopeless when we enter in.

* * * * *

KEATS

He dwelt with the bright gods of elder time,
  On earth and in their cloudy haunts above. 
He loved them:  and in recompense sublime,
  The gods, alas! gave him their fatal love.

* * * * *

AFTER READING “TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT”

Your Marlowe’s page I close, my Shakspere’s ope. 
  How welcome—­after gong and cymbal’s din—­
The continuity, the long slow slope
  And vast curves of the gradual violin!

* * * * *

SHELLEY AND HARRIET WESTBROOK

A star look’d down from heaven and loved a flower Grown in earth’s garden—­loved it for an hour: 

Let eyes that trace his orbit in the spheres Refuse not, to a ruin’d rosebud, tears.

* * * * *

THE PLAY OF “KING LEAR”

Here Love the slain with Love the slayer lies;
  Deep drown’d are both in the same sunless pool. 
Up from its depths that mirror thundering skies
  Bubbles the wan mirth of the mirthless Fool.

* * * *

TO A POET

Time, the extortioner, from richest beauty Takes heavy toll and wrings rapacious duty.  Austere of feature if thou carve thy rhyme, Perchance ’twill pay the lesser tax to Time.

* * * * *

THE YEAR’S MINSTRELSY

Spring, the low prelude of a lordlier song: 
  Summer, a music without hint of death: 
Autumn, a cadence lingeringly long: 
  Winter, a pause;—­the Minstrel-Year takes breath.

* * * * *

THE RUINED ABBEY

Flower fondled, clasp’d in ivy’s close caress,
  It seems allied with Nature, yet apart:—­
Of wood’s and wave’s insensate loveliness
  The glad, sad, tranquil, passionate, human heart.

* * * * *

MICHELANGELO’S “MOSES”

The captain’s might, and mystery of the seer—­
  Remoteness of Jehovah’s colloquist,
Nearness of man’s heaven-advocate—­are here: 
  Alone Mount Nebo’s harsh foreshadow is miss’d.

* * * * *

THE ALPS

Adieu, white brows of Europe! sovereign brows,
  That wear the sunset for a golden tiar. 
With me in memory shall your phantoms house
  For ever, whiter than yourselves, and higher.