five sonnets relating to beauty.
23
II.
Largess from seven-fold heavens, I pray, descend
On all who toil for Beauty! Never feet
Grow weary that have done her bidding sweet
About the careless world! For she is friend
And darling of the universe;—and day by day,
She comes and goes, but never dies,
So precious is she in the eternal eyes.
O dost thou scorn her, seeing what fine way
She doth avenge? For heaven, because of her,
Shall one day find thee fitter. How old hours
Of star-rapt night about thy heart had curled—
And thou hadst felt the morning's golden stir,
And the appealing loveliness of flowers,
Yea, all the saving beauty of the world!
On all who toil for Beauty! Never feet
Grow weary that have done her bidding sweet
About the careless world! For she is friend
And darling of the universe;—and day by day,
She comes and goes, but never dies,
So precious is she in the eternal eyes.
O dost thou scorn her, seeing what fine way
She doth avenge? For heaven, because of her,
Shall one day find thee fitter. How old hours
Of star-rapt night about thy heart had curled—
And thou hadst felt the morning's golden stir,
And the appealing loveliness of flowers,
Yea, all the saving beauty of the world!
