Poems (Henderson)/Water Lilies
For works with similar titles, see Water Lilies.
WATER LILIES.
The red sun slowly sank adown,
The purple mountain's brow,
The robin from his leaf-bound nest,
His evening song trilled low.
The broad lake like o sea of fire,
Shone in the sunset's flash,
No sound the solemn stillness broke,
Save the broad oar's deep plash.
The purple mountain's brow,
The robin from his leaf-bound nest,
His evening song trilled low.
The broad lake like o sea of fire,
Shone in the sunset's flash,
No sound the solemn stillness broke,
Save the broad oar's deep plash.
And tinged with rays of crimson fire,
Like robes of saints that caught the glow,
From mantling wing of cherubim,
In beds of drifted snow,
The water-lilies opened lay,
Athwart the shining flood,
The alders by the lake's clear edge,
Seemed banners bathed in blood.
Like robes of saints that caught the glow,
From mantling wing of cherubim,
In beds of drifted snow,
The water-lilies opened lay,
Athwart the shining flood,
The alders by the lake's clear edge,
Seemed banners bathed in blood.
Then o'er the boat's low edge I leant,
And plucked a largess rare,
Of lilies, from their glossy bed,
And bound them in her hair.
"Oh! love," I said, "no empress crowned,"
With gems of shining light,
Could share a worship half so true,
As thou dost hold to night.
And plucked a largess rare,
Of lilies, from their glossy bed,
And bound them in her hair.
"Oh! love," I said, "no empress crowned,"
With gems of shining light,
Could share a worship half so true,
As thou dost hold to night.
The sweet brown eyes one moment shone,
I fancied, with Love's light,
Then drooped their silken fringes down,
And hid them from my sight.
The purple twilight cast her robe,
Athwart the shining mere,
My lover's heart, so loud it beat,
I feared the winds might hear.
I fancied, with Love's light,
Then drooped their silken fringes down,
And hid them from my sight.
The purple twilight cast her robe,
Athwart the shining mere,
My lover's heart, so loud it beat,
I feared the winds might hear.
The lilies perfume floated sweet,
And from her lips there came,
Like angel melody of thought,
The murmur of my name.
Oh! God, they tell us Heaven alone,
Can hold transcendent bliss,
But longing for the Heaven, I own,
Was quenched in that first kiss.
And from her lips there came,
Like angel melody of thought,
The murmur of my name.
Oh! God, they tell us Heaven alone,
Can hold transcendent bliss,
But longing for the Heaven, I own,
Was quenched in that first kiss.
The twilight deepened as we neared,
The shore's broad waves of green,
"Oh! love," I whispered, "if the world,"
A lake of silver sheen—
Were, sailed by this frail boat of mine,
And thou and I within,
Say, would'st thou sail with me, my love,
Beyond the Present's dream?
Would'st dare the Future's changing shores,
And Life's uncertain stream?
The shore's broad waves of green,
"Oh! love," I whispered, "if the world,"
A lake of silver sheen—
Were, sailed by this frail boat of mine,
And thou and I within,
Say, would'st thou sail with me, my love,
Beyond the Present's dream?
Would'st dare the Future's changing shores,
And Life's uncertain stream?
She drew the lilies from her hair,
And wove them in a crown,
"Oh! gems are they of beauty rare,
But soon the morrow's sun,
Will steal their sweetness and their bloom,
And fade them every one."
And wove them in a crown,
"Oh! gems are they of beauty rare,
But soon the morrow's sun,
Will steal their sweetness and their bloom,
And fade them every one."
"Oh! darling," cried I, "to mine own,
Thine eyes responsive glow,
Shall beam as bright for me e'en when,
Thy locks are streaked with snow.
Thy cheek its beauty's bloom may lose,
To other eyes, not mine,
For Love survives the long decay,
Of centuries sublime."
Thine eyes responsive glow,
Shall beam as bright for me e'en when,
Thy locks are streaked with snow.
Thy cheek its beauty's bloom may lose,
To other eyes, not mine,
For Love survives the long decay,
Of centuries sublime."
