Where was heard the mingled measure From the fountain and the caves. It was a miracle of rare device, A sunny pleasure-dome with caves of ice! A damsel with a dulcimer It was an Abyssinian maid, And on her dulcimer she played, Singing of Mount Abora. Could I revive within me Her symphony and song, To such a deep delight 'twould win me, That with music loud and long, I would build that dome in air, That sunny dome! those caves of ice! THE PAINS OF SLEEP. ERE on my bed my limbs 1 lay, It hath not been my use to pray In humble trust mine eye-lids close, No wish conceived, no thought exprest, A sense o'er all my soul imprest Since in me, round me, every where But yester-night I prayed aloud Up-starting from the fiendish crowd Of shapes and thoughts that tortured me: A lurid light, a trainpling throng, Sense of intolerable wrong, And whom I scorned, those only strong! Fantastic passions! maddening brawl ! Deeds to be hid which were not hid, For all seemed guilt, remorse or woe, So two nights passed: the night's dismay Saddened and stunned the coming day. Sleep, the wide blessing seemed to me Distemper's worst calamity, The third night, when my own loud scream And having thus by tears subdued The unfathomable hell within The horror of their deeds to view, And whom I love, I love indeed, LIMBO. 'Tis a strange place, this Limbo!—not a place, But that is lovely—looks like human Time,— As 'twere an organ full of silent sight, His whole face seemeth to rejoice in light!— He seems to gaze at that which seems to gaze on him! A lurid thought is growthless, dull Privation, Hell knows a fear far worse, A fear-a future state;-'tis positive Negation! NE PLUS ULTRA. SOLE Positive of Night! Fate's only essence! primal scorpion rod- Arms the Grasp enorm― The Intercepter— The Substance that still casts the shadow Death! The Dragon foul and fell— The unrevealable, And hidden one, whose breath Gives wind and fuel to the fires of hell! Ah! sole despair Of both th' eternities in heaven! Sole interdict of all-bedewing prayer, The all-compassionate! Save to the Lampads Seven Reveal'd to none of all th' angelic state, Save to the Lampads Seven, That watch the throne of heaven! |