The Complete Works: Poetry, Plays, Letters and Extensive Biographies. John Keats

      Engulph for ever. “Stay!” he cried, “ah, stay!

      Turn, damsels! hist! one word I have to say.

      Sweet Indian, I would see thee once again.

      It is a thing I dote on: so I’d fain, Peona, ye should hand in hand repair

      Into those holy groves, that silent are

      Behind great Dian’s temple. I’ll be yon,

      At vesper’s earliest twinkle–they are gone–

      But once, once, once again–” At this he press’d

      His hands against his face, and then did rest

      His head upon a mossy hillock green,

      And so remain’d as he a corpse had been

      All the long day; save when he scantly lifted

      His eyes abroad, to see how shadows shifted With the slow move of time,–sluggish and weary

      Until the poplar tops, in journey dreary,

      Had reach’d the river’s brim. Then up he rose,

      And, slowly as that very river flows,

      Walk’d towards the temple grove with this lament:

      “Why such a golden eve? The breeze is sent

      Careful and soft, that not a leaf may fall

      Before the serene father of them all

      Bows down his summer head below the west.

      Now am I of breath, speech, and speed possest, But at the setting I must bid adieu

      To her for the last time. Night will strew

      On the damp grass myriads of lingering leaves,

      And with them shall I die; nor much it grieves

      To die, when summer dies on the cold sward.

      Why, I have been a butterfly, a lord

      Of flowers, garlands, love-knots, silly posies,

      Groves, meadows, melodies, and arbour roses;

      My kingdom’s at its death, and just it is

      That I should die with it: so in all this We miscal grief, bale, sorrow, heartbreak, woe,

      What is there to plain of? By Titan’s foe

      I am but rightly serv’d.” So saying, he

      Tripp’d lightly on, in sort of deathful glee;

      Laughing at the clear stream and setting sun,

      As though they jests had been: nor had he done

      His laugh at nature’s holy countenance,

      Until that grove appear’d, as if perchance,

      And then his tongue with sober seemlihed

      Gave utterance as he entered: “Ha!” I said, “King of the butterflies; but by this gloom,

      And by old Rhadamanthus’ tongue of doom,

      This dusk religion, pomp of solitude,

      And the Promethean clay by thief endued,

      By old Saturnus’ forelock, by his head

      Shook with eternal palsy, I did wed

      Myself to things of light from infancy;

      And thus to be cast out, thus lorn to die,

      Is sure enough to make a mortal man

      Grow impious.” So he inwardly began On things for which no wording can be found;

      Deeper and deeper sinking, until drown’d

      Beyond the reach of music: for the choir

      Of Cynthia he heard not, though rough briar

      Nor muffling thicket interpos’d to dull

      The vesper hymn, far swollen, soft and full,

      Through the dark pillars of those sylvan aisles.

      He saw not the two maidens, nor their smiles,

      Wan as primroses gather’d at midnight

      By chilly finger’d spring. “Unhappy wight! Endymion!” said Peona, “we are here!

      What wouldst thou ere we all are laid on bier?”

      Then he embrac’d her, and his lady’s hand

      Press’d, saying: “Sister, I would have command,

      If it were heaven’s will, on our sad fate.”

      At which that dark-eyed stranger stood elate

      And said, in a new voice, but sweet as love,

      To Endymion’s amaze: “By Cupid’s dove,

      And so thou shalt! and by the lily truth

      Of my own breast thou shalt, beloved youth!” And as she spake, into her face there came

      Light, as reflected from a silver flame:

      Her long black hair swell’d ampler, in display

      Full golden; in her eyes a brighter day

      Dawn’d blue and full of love. Aye, he beheld

      Phœbe, his passion! joyous she upheld

      Her lucid bow, continuing thus: “Drear, drear

      Has our delaying been; but foolish fear

      Withheld me first; and then decrees of fate;

      And then ’twas fit that from this mortal state Thou shouldst, my love, by some unlook’d for change

      Be spiritualiz’d. Peona, we shall range

      These forests, and to thee they safe shall be

      As was thy cradle; hither shalt thou flee

      To meet us many a time.” Next Cynthia bright

      Peona kiss’d, and bless’d with fair good night:

      Her brother kiss’d her too, and knelt adown

      Before his goddess, in a blissful swoon.

      She gave her fair hands to him, and behold,

      Before three swiftest kisses he had told, They vanish’d far away!–Peona went

      Home through the gloomy wood in wonderment.