EVE'S tinted shadows slowly fill the fane Where Art has taken almost Nature's room, While still two objects clear in light remain, An alien pilgrim at an alien tomb. -- -- A sculptured tomb of regal heads discrown'd, Of one heart-worshipped, fancy-haunted, name, Once loud on earth, but now scarce else renown'd Than as the offspring of that stranger's fame. There lie the Stuarts! -- There lingers Walter Scott! Strange congress of illustrious thoughts and things! A plain old moral, still too oft forgot, -- The power of Genius and the fall of Kings. The curse on lawless Will high-planted there, A beacon to the world, shines not for him; He is with those who felt their life was sere, When the full light of loyalty grew dim. He rests his chin upon a sturdy staff, Historic as that sceptre, theirs no more; His gaze is fixed; his thirsty heart can quaff, For a short hour, the spirit-draughts of yore. Each figure in its pictured place is seen, Each fancied shape his actual vision fills, From the long-pining, death-delivered, Queen, To the worn Outlaw of the heathery hills. O grace of life, which shame could never mar! O dignity, that circumstance defied! Pure is the neck that wears the deathly scar, And sorrow has baptised the front of pride. But purpled mantle, and blood-crimson'd shroud, Exiles to suffer and returns to woo, Are gone, like dreams by daylight disallow'd; And their historian, -- he is sinking too! A few more moments and that labouring brow Cold as those royal busts and calm will lie; And, as on them his thoughts are resting now, His marbled form will meet the attentive eye. Thus, face to face, the dying and the dead, Bound in one solemn ever-living bond, Communed; and I was sad that ancient head Ever should pass those holy walls beyond. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...MY LITTLE DREAMS by GEORGIA DOUGLAS JOHNSON THE BLESSED DAMOZEL by DANTE GABRIEL ROSSETTI THE HIGH-PRIEST TO ALEXANDER by ALFRED TENNYSON FAREWELL, UNKIST by THOMAS WYATT LAURENCE BLOOMFIELD IN IRELAND: 4. BALLYTULLAGH by WILLIAM ALLINGHAM SHELLEY AND TRELAWNEY by JULIA COOLEY ALTROCCHI FOR MY CHILD by JOHANNA AMBROSIUS |