the wrecked life.
99
And a pale phantom of a perfect face,
Set lips, stern nostrils, and a white, cold cheek
Alone remained!
Her smile, it was so rare and marvellous,
And so became the mouth which palaced it,
That the proud curve became a gracious type,
Indelible in death—its radiance flashed
All Paradise upon me once; and when
Long years had passed away, and the fine brow,
And the large eyes (dark violets, sweet but sad,)
Were empty sockets, and the veined pearl
Of the transparent flesh was ashes, dust—
I recognised the parted line of that rare lip—
Its matchless sweetness, now left desolate,
And barren evermore of smiles,
Dost ask me wherefore she did smile or weep?
Know'st thou, O curious Questioner of Hearts,
That memories of balmy, vernal woods
Live in the Frost-King's thought, when with froze breath,
And icy touch, he traces o'er the panes,
In crystal characters, white mystic boughs,
With delicatest foliage, plumy sprays,
And all the tender secrets of the spring?
Set lips, stern nostrils, and a white, cold cheek
Alone remained!
Her smile, it was so rare and marvellous,
And so became the mouth which palaced it,
That the proud curve became a gracious type,
Indelible in death—its radiance flashed
All Paradise upon me once; and when
Long years had passed away, and the fine brow,
And the large eyes (dark violets, sweet but sad,)
Were empty sockets, and the veined pearl
Of the transparent flesh was ashes, dust—
I recognised the parted line of that rare lip—
Its matchless sweetness, now left desolate,
And barren evermore of smiles,
Dost ask me wherefore she did smile or weep?
Know'st thou, O curious Questioner of Hearts,
That memories of balmy, vernal woods
Live in the Frost-King's thought, when with froze breath,
And icy touch, he traces o'er the panes,
In crystal characters, white mystic boughs,
With delicatest foliage, plumy sprays,
And all the tender secrets of the spring?
