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In these
rapid, restless shadows,
Once I walked at
eventide,
When a gentle, silent maiden,
Wal
ked in beauty at my side
She alone there walked
beside me
All in beauty, like a bride.
Pallidly the moon was shining
On the dewy meadows
nigh;
On the silvery, silent rivers,
On the
mountains far and high
On the ocean's star-lit
waters,
Where the winds a-weary die.
Slowly, silently we wandered
From the open cottage
door,
Underneath the elm's long branches
To the
pavement bending o'er;
Underneath the mossy willow
And the dying sycamore.
With the myriad stars in
beauty
All bedight, the heavens were seen,
Radiant
hopes were bright around me,
Like the light of stars
serene;
Like the mellow midnight splendor
Of the
Night's irradiate queen.
Audibly the elm-leaves
whispered
Peaceful, pleasant melodies,
Like
the distant murmured music
Of unquiet, lovely
seas:
While the winds were hushed in slumber
In the fragrant flowers and trees.
Wondrous
and unwonted beauty
Still adorning all did seem,
While I told my love in fables
'Neath the willows
by the stream;
Would the heart have kept unspoken
Love that was its rarest dream!
Instantly
away we wandered
In the shadowy twilight tide,
She, the silent, scornful maiden,
Walking calmly
at my side,
With a step serene and stately,
All in beauty, all in pride.
Vacantly I
walked beside her.
On the earth mine eyes were
cast;
Swift and keen there came unto me
Ritter
memories of the past
On me, like the rain in Autumn
On the dead leaves, cold and fast.
Underneath
the elms we parted,
By the lowly cottage door;
One brief word alone was uttered
Never on our
lips before;
And away I walked forlornly,
Broken-hearted evermore.
Slowly, silently I
loitered,
Homeward, in the night, alone;
Sudden anguish bound my spirit,
That my youth had
never known;
Wild unrest, like that which cometh
When the Night's first dream hath flown.
Now,
to me the elm-leaves whisper
Mad, discordant
melodies,
And keen melodies like shadows
Haunt
the moaning willow trees,
And the sycamores with
laughter
Mock me in the nightly breeze.
Sad and pale the Autumn moonlight
Through the
sighing foliage streams;
And each morning, midnight
shadow,
Shadow of my sorrow seems;
Strive, 0
heart, forget thine idol!
And, 0 soul, forget thy
dreams !
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