And all thy moans flew o'er my roof, but I have called them down. Wilt thou, O queen, enter my house? 'Tis given thee to enter, IV The eternal gates' terrific porter lifted the northern bar; A land of sorrows and of tears, where never smile was seen. She wandered in the land of clouds, through valleys dark, listening Dolours and lamentations, wailing oft beside a dewy grave. Or the glistening eye to the poison of a smile? 105 Or an eye of gifts and graces showering fruits and coinèd gold? 120 125 THE GARDEN OF LOVE I went to the Garden of Love, A chapel was built in the midst, And the gates of this chapel were shut, 5 And "Thou shalt not" writ over the door; That so many sweet flowers bore: And I saw it was filled with graves, And tombstones where flowers should be; IO And priests in black gowns were walking their rounds, And binding with briars my joys and desires. 1794. THE MENTAL TRAVELLER I travelled through a land of men, And heard and saw such dreadful things For there the babe is born in joy 5 And if the babe is born a boy, ΙΟ She binds iron thorns around his head; She cuts his heart out at his side, 15 Her fingers number every nerve, And she grows young as he grows old: Till he becomes a bleeding youth, He plants himself in all her nerves An agèd shadow soon he fades, And these are the gems of the human soul, 25 330 35 And gems and gold, that none his hand But she comes to the man she loves, He wanders weeping far away, 50 Oft blind and age-bent, sore distrest, 55 Until he can a maiden win. |