Fugitive Poetry. 1600–1878/Shadows
Shadows.
Deep! I own I start at shadows,
Listen, I will tell you why
(Life itself is but a taper,
Casting shadows till we die).
Listen, I will tell you why
(Life itself is but a taper,
Casting shadows till we die).
Once in Italy, at Florence,
I a radiant girl adored;
When she came, she saw, she conquered,
And by Cupid I was floored.
I a radiant girl adored;
When she came, she saw, she conquered,
And by Cupid I was floored.
Round my heart her glossy ringlets
Were mysteriously entwined—
And her soft, sweet, loving glances
All my inmost thoughts divined.
Were mysteriously entwined—
And her soft, sweet, loving glances
All my inmost thoughts divined.
"Mia cara Mandolina!
Are we not, indeed!" I cried,
"All the world to one another?"
Mandolina smiled and sighed.
Are we not, indeed!" I cried,
"All the world to one another?"
Mandolina smiled and sighed.
Earth was Eden, she an angel,
I a Jupiter enshrined—
Till one night I saw an odious
Double shadow on her blind!
I a Jupiter enshrined—
Till one night I saw an odious
Double shadow on her blind!
"Fire and fury! double shadows
On their bedroom windows ne'er,
To my knowledge have been cast by
Ladies virtuous and fair.
On their bedroom windows ne'er,
To my knowledge have been cast by
Ladies virtuous and fair.
"False, abandoned Mandolina!
Fare thee well for evermore!
Vengeance," shrieked I, "vengeance, vengeance!"
And I thundered through the door.
Fare thee well for evermore!
Vengeance," shrieked I, "vengeance, vengeance!"
And I thundered through the door.
This event occurred next morning;
Mandolina staring sat,
Stark amazed, as out I tumbled,
Raving mad, without a hat!
Mandolina staring sat,
Stark amazed, as out I tumbled,
Raving mad, without a hat!
Six weeks after I'd a letter,
On its road six weeks delayed—
With a dozen re-directions,
From the lost one, and it said:
On its road six weeks delayed—
With a dozen re-directions,
From the lost one, and it said:
"Foolish, wicked, cruel Albert;
Base suspicion's doubts resign;
Double lights throw double shadows!
Mandolina—ever thine!"
Base suspicion's doubts resign;
Double lights throw double shadows!
Mandolina—ever thine!"
"Dear me, what an ass!" I muttered,
"Not before to think of that!"—
And again I rushed excited
To the rail, without a hat.
"Not before to think of that!"—
And again I rushed excited
To the rail, without a hat.
"Mandolina! Mandolina!"
When her house I reached, I cried;
"Pardon, dearest love!" she answered,
"I'm the Russian consul's bride!"
When her house I reached, I cried;
"Pardon, dearest love!" she answered,
"I'm the Russian consul's bride!"
Thus by Muscovite barbarian,
And by fate, my life was crossed,
Wonder ye I start at shadows?
Types of Mandolina lost.
And by fate, my life was crossed,
Wonder ye I start at shadows?
Types of Mandolina lost.