I O NORA knew it, Nora knows How Love lies hidden in a rose, And touches mingle, touches part The trembling flames of heart and heart. Thrice happy! to have learnt that day Her virginal bewitching way, So airy-soft, so winning-wild, Between the siren and the child. O Nature's darling, pure and fair From light foot to irradiant hair! O Nora, Nora, bright and sweet From clear brow to impetuous feet! So glimmered wood and wave between The starry presence of Undine, In that first hour her bosom knew What human hearts are born unto;— For half-enchanted, half-afraid, The nymph became a mortal maid; A dewy light, a dear surprise, Illumed her visionary eyes. Then from their deeps a Spirit came;— Undine was other and the same;— For past resisting, past control, Was very Love her very soul. II Last year, where mixed with many a rose The gold laburnums wave, A crimson rosebud Nora chose, A bud my Nora gave. And when the enchanting month anew Revived the summer's boon, And bright again the roses blew, And all was joy and June, A fair twin-bud for my delight She from its cluster parts;— Here are the petals, red and white, Shaped like two sister hearts. And now because the maid is dear And ways between us long,— Because I cannot call her here With sighing or with song,— Across the ocean, swift and soon, This faded petal goes, To her who is herself as June, And lovely, and a rose. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE LADY AND THE SWINE by MOTHER GOOSE SONNET: 102 by WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE THE DANUBE RIVER by C. HAMILTON AIDE SATIRE: 2 by AULUS PERSIUS FLACCUS THE SHADOWED ROAD by WILLIAM ROSE BENET THE REED by AUDREY ALEXANDRA BROWN |