THE BALLAD OF MELICERTES
In memory of Théodore de Banville
Death, a iight outshining life, bitls heaveii .esume
il Star by star the soûls whose light made earth divine,
M Death, a night outshitiing day, secs burn and bloom,
M Flower by flower, and sun by sun, the famés that shine
i^H^^v rlower Dy nower, ana sun [>y sun, trie lames mai snmc
Deathless, higher than tife beheld their sovereign sign.
Dead Simonides of Ceos, latc restored,
Givcn again of God, again by man deplorcd, -•
Shone but yestereve, a glory frail as breath.
F rail ? But famc’s breath quickens, kindles, keeps in ward,
Life so sweet as this that dies and casts off dealh.
Mother’s love, and rapture of the sea, whose womb
Hrceds eternal life of joy that sîings like bririe,
Pride of song, and joy to dare the singer’s doom,
Sorrow soft as slccp, and laughter bright as wine,
Flushed and filled with fragrant (ire his lyric line.
As the sea-shell utters, like a stricken chord,
Music uttering ail the sea’s withïn it stored, d
Poet well-beloved, whose praise our sorrow saith,
So thy s.ongs retain thy soûl, and so record
Life so sweet as this that dies and casts ofï death.
Side by side wo mourned at Gautier’s golden tomb
Hère in spirit now I stand and mourn at thlnc. .,?.
Yet no breath of death strikes thence, no shadow of gloont,
Only light raorc bright than gold of the inmost mine,
Only stcam of incensc warm from lovc’s own shrinc.
Not the darkling stream, t.; ̃- sundering Stvgian ford,
Not the hour that smites .ind severs as a sword,
Not the night subduing light that perisheth,
Smitc, subduc, divide from us by doom abhorred,
Life so sweet as this that. dies and casts off death
