Poems (Dudley)/Art's Despair
ART'S DESPAIR.
ARTIST in whose flaming eye
Lofty dreams consume,
Come from haunts of wood and sky,
Nobler themes illume;
Lofty dreams consume,
Come from haunts of wood and sky,
Nobler themes illume;
Leave the mountain lone and steep,
Paint the heights of fame;
Leave the shadow sad and deep,
Paint a deathless name;
Paint the heights of fame;
Leave the shadow sad and deep,
Paint a deathless name;
Dip thy brush for highest art,
Paint a human soul,—
Floods of transport, ebbs of heart,
Mighty self-control;
Paint a human soul,—
Floods of transport, ebbs of heart,
Mighty self-control;
Paint a promise, limn a faith,
Burning dream of youth;
Color Rapture's mortal wraith,
Painter, paint a truth:
Burning dream of youth;
Color Rapture's mortal wraith,
Painter, paint a truth:
Paint a moment, Artist strong;
Sketch an hour's decay,
March of ages, silence long,
Sorcerer, paint a Day:
Sketch an hour's decay,
March of ages, silence long,
Sorcerer, paint a Day:
Paint a star-beam, clear and lone,
Tint the evening breeze;
Sketch a cadence, or a tone
From the distant seas.
Tint the evening breeze;
Sketch a cadence, or a tone
From the distant seas.
Paint a flight, sustained and long,
Not the puny wing,—
Not with singer, but with song,
Make thy canvas sing.
Not the puny wing,—
Not with singer, but with song,
Make thy canvas sing.
Paint a trembling, hopeless sigh
On the summer air,
Or from colors deep and high,
Paint a burning prayer;
On the summer air,
Or from colors deep and high,
Paint a burning prayer;
O! this haunting unattained,
Baffling hand and eye;
All is loss with it ungained
Artist, paint and die!
Baffling hand and eye;
All is loss with it ungained
Artist, paint and die!