Page:The complete poetical works of Percy Bysshe Shelley, including materials never before printed in any edition of the poems.djvu/651

II
How can I call the lone night good,^[1] 5
Though thy sweet wishes wing its flight?
Be it not said, thought, understood—
Then it will be—good night.

III
To hearts which near each other move^[2]
From evening close to morning light, 10
The night is good; because, my love,^[3]
They never say good-night.^[4]

 

BUONA NOTTE

[Published by Medwin, The Angler in Wales, or Days and Nights of Sportsmen, 1834. The text is revised by Rossetti from the Boscombe MS.]

I
'Buona notte, buona notte!'—Come mai
La notte sarà^[5] buona senza te?
Non dirmi buona notte,—chè tu sai,
La notte sà star buona da per sè.^[6]

II
Solinga, scura, cupa. senza speme, 5
La notte quando Lilla m'abbandona;
Pei cuori chi si batton insieme
Ogni notte, senza dirla, sarà buona.

III
Come^[7] male buona notte si suona
Con sospiri e parole interrotte!— 10
II modo di aver la notte buona
E mai non di dir la buona notte.

 

ORPHEUS

[Published by Dr. Garnett, Relics of Shelley, 1862; revised and enlarged by Rossetti, Complete P. W. of P. B. S., 1870.]

A.Not far from hence. From yonder pointed hill,
Crowned with a ring of oaks, you may behold
A dark and barren field, through which there flows,
Sluggish and black, a deep but narrow stream,
Which the wind ripples not, and the fair moon 5
Gazes in vain, and finds no mirror there.
Follow the herbless banks of that strange brook
Until you pause beside a darksome pond,
The fountain of this rivulet, whose gush
Cannot be seen, hid by a ray less night 10

1. Good-night—5 How were the night without thee good Stacey MS.
2. 9 The hearts that on each other beat Stacey MS.
3. 11 Have nights as good as they are sweet Stacey MS.
4. 12 But never say good night Stacey MS.
5. Buona Notte—2 sarà] sia 1834.
6. 4 buona j bene 1834.
7. 9 Come] Quanto 1834.