A REVERIE SUGGESTED BY THE NAME UPON A PANE SHE then must once have looked, as I Look now, across the level rye, -- Past Church and Manor-house, and seen, As now I see, the village green, The bridge, and Walton's river -- she Whose old-world name was 'Dorothy.' The swallows must have twittered, too, Above her head; the roses blew Below, no doubt, -- and, sure, the South Crept up the wall and kissed her mouth, -- That wistful mouth, which comes to me Linked with her name of Dorothy. What was she like? I picture her Unmeet for uncouth worshipper; -- Soft, -- pensive, -- far too subtly graced To suit the blunt bucolic taste, Whose crude perception could but see 'Ma'am Fine-airs' in 'Miss Dorothy.' How not? She loved, maybe, perfume, Soft textures, lace, a half-lit room; -- Perchance too candidly preferred 'Clarissa' to a gossip's word; -- And, for the rest, would seem to be Or proud, or dull -- this Dorothy. Poor child! -- with heart the down-lined nest Of warmest instincts unconfest, Soft, callow things that vaguely felt The breeze caress, the sunlight melt, But yet, by some obscure decree, Unwinged from birth; -- poor Dorothy! Not less I dream her mute desire To acred churl and booby squire, Now pale, with timorous eyes that filled At 'twice-told tales' of foxes killed; -- Now trembling when slow tongues grew free 'Twixt sport, and Port -- and Dorothy! 'Twas then she'd seek this nook, and find Its evening landscape balmy-kind; And here, where still her gentle name Lives on the old green glass, would frame Fond dreams of unfound harmony 'Twixt heart and heart. Poor Dorothy! L'ENVOI. These last I spoke. Then Florence said, Below me, -- 'Dreams? Delusions, Fred!' Next, with a pause, -- she bent the while Over a rose, with roguish smile -- 'But how disgusted, Sir, you'll be To hear I scrawled that "Dorothy."' | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...AMERICAN NAMES by STEPHEN VINCENT BENET CAELICA: 100 by FULKE GREVILLE ON BOARD THE '76; WRITTEN FOR BRYANT'S SEVENTIETH BIRTHDAY by JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL STONEWALL JACKSON'S WAY by JOHN WILLIAMSON PALMER A CHRISTMAS FOLK-SONG by LIZETTE WOODWORTH REESE SACRIFICE by GEORGE WILLIAM RUSSELL BETROTHED ANEW by EDMUND CLARENCE STEDMAN |