274
A Ballad of a Nun
Long ere she left her cloudy bed,
Still dreaming in the orient land,
On many a mountain's happy head
Dawn lightly laid her rosy hand.
Still dreaming in the orient land,
On many a mountain's happy head
Dawn lightly laid her rosy hand.
The adventurous sun took Heaven by storm;
Clouds scattered largesses of rain;
The sounding cities rich and warm,
Smouldered and glittered in the plain.
Clouds scattered largesses of rain;
The sounding cities rich and warm,
Smouldered and glittered in the plain.
Sometimes it was a wandering wind,
Sometimes the fragrance of the pine,
Sometimes the thought how others sinned,
That turned her sweet blood into wine.
Sometimes the fragrance of the pine,
Sometimes the thought how others sinned,
That turned her sweet blood into wine.
Sometimes she heard a serenade
Complaining sweetly far away:
She said, "A young man woos a maid";
And dreamt of love till break of day.
Complaining sweetly far away:
She said, "A young man woos a maid";
And dreamt of love till break of day.
Then would she ply her knotted scourge
Until she swooned; but evermore
She had the same red sin to purge,
Poor, passionate keeper of the door!
Until she swooned; but evermore
She had the same red sin to purge,
Poor, passionate keeper of the door!
For still night's starry scroll unfurled,
And still the day came like a flood:
It was the greatness of the world
That made her long to use her blood.
And still the day came like a flood:
It was the greatness of the world
That made her long to use her blood.
In
