Love / William Wordsworth

All Thoughts, all Passions, all Delights,

  Whatever stirs this mortal Frame,

  All are but Ministers of Love,

    And feed his sacred flame.

  Oft in my waking dreams do I

  Live o'er again that happy hour,

  When midway on the Mount I lay

    Beside the Ruin'd Tower.

  The Moonshine stealing o'er the scene

  Had blended with the Lights of Eve;

  And she was there, my Hope, my Joy,

    My own dear Genevieve!

  She lean'd against the Armed Man,

  The Statue of the Armed Knight:

  She stood and listen'd to my Harp

    Amid the ling'ring Light.

  Few Sorrows hath she of her own,

  My Hope, my Joy, my Genevieve!

  She loves me best, whene'er I sing

    The Songs, that make her grieve.

  I play'd a soft and doleful Air,

  I sang an old and moving Story--

  An old rude Song that fitted well

    The Ruin wild and hoary.

  She listen'd with a flitting Blush,

  With downcast Eyes and modest Grace;

  For well she knew, I could not choose

    But gaze upon her Face.

  I told her of the Knight, that wore

  Upon his Shield a burning Brand;

  And that for ten long Years he woo'd

    _The Lady of the Land_.

  I told her, how he pin'd: and, ah!

  The low, the deep, the pleading tone,

  With which I sang another's Love,

    Interpreted my own.

  She listen'd with a flitting Blush,

  With downcast Eyes and modest Grace;

  And she forgave me, that I gaz'd

    Too fondly on her Face!

  But when I told the cruel scorn

  Which craz'd this bold and lovely Knight,

  And that be cross'd the mountain woods

    Nor rested day nor night;

  That sometimes from the savage Den,

  And sometimes from the darksome Shade,

  And sometimes starting up at once

    In green and sunny Glade,

  There came, and look'd him in the face,

  An Angel beautiful and bright;

  And that he knew, it was a Fiend,

    This miserable Knight!

  And that, unknowing what he did,

  He leapt amid a murd'rous Band,

  And sav'd from Outrage worse than Death

    The Lady of the Land;

  And how she wept and clasp'd his knees

  And how she tended him in vain--

  And ever strove to expiate

    The Scorn, that craz'd his Brain

  And that she nurs'd him in a Cave;

  And how his Madness went away

  When on the yellow forest leaves

    A dying Man he lay;

  His dying words--but when I reach'd

  That tenderest strain of all the Ditty,

  My falt'ring Voice and pausing Harp

    Disturb'd her Soul with Pity!

  All Impulses of Soul and Sense

  Had thrill'd my guileless Genevieve,

  The Music, and the doleful Tale,

    The rich and balmy Eve;

  And Hopes, and Fears that kindle Hope,

  An undistinguishable Throng!

  And gentle Wishes long subdued,

    Subdued and cherish'd long!

  She wept with pity and delight,

  She blush'd with love and maiden shame;

  And, like the murmur of a dream,

    I heard her breathe my name.

  Her Bosom heav'd--she stepp'd aside;

  As conscious of my Look, she stepp'd--

  Then suddenly with timorous eye

    She fled to me and wept.

  She half inclosed me with her arms,

  She press'd me with a meek embrace;

  And bending back her head look'd up,

    And gaz'd upon my face.

  'Twas partly Love, and partly Fear,

  And partly 'twas a bashful Art

  That I might rather feel than see

    The Swelling of her Heart.

  I calm'd her Tears; and she was calm,

  And told her love with virgin Pride.

  And so I won my Genevieve,

    My bright and beauteous Bride!