The Complete Poetical Works of Percy Bysshe Shelley (ed. Hutchinson, 1914)/Song: 'Rarely, rarely, comest thou'

by Percy Bysshe Shelley

For other versions of this work, see Song: 'Rarely, rarely, comest thou'.

SONG

[Published by Mrs. Shelley, Posthumous Poems, 1824. There is a transcript in the Harvard MS. book.]

I
Rarely, rarely, comest thou,
 Spirit of Delight!
Wherefore hast thou left me now
 Many a day and night?
Many a weary night and day 5
'Tis since thou art fled away.

II
How shall ever one like me
 Win thee back again?
With the joyous and the free
 Thou wilt scoff at pain. 10
Spirit false! thou hast forgot
 All but those who need thee not.

III
As a lizard with the shade
Of a trembling leaf,
Thou with sorrow art dismayed; 15
Even the sighs of grief
Reproach thee, that thou art not near,
And reproach thou wilt not hear.

IV
Let me set my mournful ditty
To a merry measure; 20
Thou wilt never come for pity,
Thou wilt come for pleasure;
Pity then will cut away
Those cruel wings, and thou wilt stay.

V
I love all that thou lo vest, 25
Spirit of Delight!
The fresh Earth in new leaves dressed,
And the starry night:
Autumn evening, and the morn
When the golden mists are born. 30

VI
I love snow, and all the forms
Of the radiant frost;
I love waves, and winds, and storms,
Everything almost
Which is Nature's, and may be 35
Untainted by man's misery.

VII
I love tranquil solitude,
And such society
As is quiet, wise, and good
Between thee and me 40
What difference? but thou dost possess
The things I seek, not love them less.

VIIII love Love—though he has wings,
And like light can flee,
But above all other things, 45
Spirit, I love thee—
Thou art love and life! Oh, come,
Make once more my heart thy home.