On a rude bench beneath his cottage eaves,Ser Federigo sat among the leavesOf a huge vine, that, with its arms outspread,Hung its delicious clusters overhead.Below him, through the lovely valley flowedThe river Arno, like a winding road,And from its banks were lifted high in airThe spires and roofs of Florence called the Fair;To him a…
And let the Talmud rest in peace;Spare us your dismal tales of deathThat almost take away one’s breath;So doing, may your tribe increase.’Thus the Sicilian said; then wentAnd on the spinet’s rattling keysPlayed Marianina, like a breezeFrom Naples and the Southern seas,That brings us the delicious scentOf citron and of orange trees,And memories of soft…
In some ancient Spanish legendOr chronicle of old.It was when brave King SanchezWas before Zamora slain,And his great besieging armyLay encamped upon the plain.Don Diego de OrdonezSallied forth in front of all,And shouted loud his challengeTo the warders on the wall.All the people of Zamora,Both the born and the unborn,As traitors did he challengeWith taunting…
A boy comes forth to wash his hands,Washing, yes washing, there he stands,In the water cool and sweet.Brook, from what mountain dost thou come,O my brooklet cool and sweet!I come from yon mountain high and cold,Where lieth the new snow on the old,And melts in the summer heat.Brook, to what river dost thou go?O my…
Laid his hand upon his sword,As he leaned upon the railing,And his ships went sailing, sailingNorthward into Drontheim fiord.There he stood as one who dreamed;And the red light glanced and gleamedOn the armor that he wore;And he shouted, as the riftedStreamers o’er him shook and shifted,‘I accept thy challenge, Thor!’To avenge his father slain,And reconquer…
From Merry England over the sea,Who stepped upon this continentAs if his august presence lentA glory to the colony.You should have seen him in the streetOf the little Boston of Winthrop’s time,His rapier dangling at his feetDoublet and hose and boots complete,Prince Rupert hat with ostrich plume,Gloves that exhaled a faint perfume,Luxuriant curls and air…
As the stars come at eveningFrom depths of the air;As the rain comes from the cloud,And the brook from the ground;As suddenly, low or loud,Out of silence a sound;As the grape comes to the vine,The fruit to the tree;As the wind comes to the pine,And the tide to the sea;As come the white sails of…
Fearing Hiawatha’s wisdom,And his love for Chibiabos,Jealous of their faithful friendship,And their noble words and actions,Made at length a league against them,To molest them and destroy them.Hiawatha, wise and wary,Often said to Chibiabos,‘O my brother! do not leave me,Lest the Evil Spirits harm you!’Chibiabos, young and heedless,Laughing shook his coal-black tresses,Answered ever sweet and childlike,‘Do…
All the women stared at him,When in Iceland he appeared.‘Look!’ they said,With nodding head,‘There goes Thangbrand, Olaf’s Priest.’All the prayers he knew by rote,He could preach like Chrysostome,From the Fathers he could quote,He had even been at Rome.A learned clerk,A man of mark,Was this Thangbrand, Olaf’s Priest.He was quarrelsome and loud,And impatient of control,Boisterous in…
Four hale and hearty fellows,And drank the precious wine.The landlord’s daughter filled their cupsAround the rustic board;Then sat they all so calm and still,And spake not one rude word.But, when the maid departed,A Swabian raised his hand,And cried, all hot and flushed with wine,‘Long live the Swabian land!‘The greatest kingdom upon earthCannot with that compare;With…
