English Poetry II: From Collins to Fitzgerald.
The Harvard Classics. 1909–14.
Thomas Hood
562. Fair Ines
O
She’s gone into the West,
To dazzle when the sun is down,
And rob the world of rest:
She took our daylight with her,
The smiles that we love best,
With morning blushes on her cheek,
And pearls upon her breast.
Before the fall of night,
For fear the Moon should shine alone,
And stars unrivall’d bright;
And blessèd will the lover be
That walks beneath their light,
And breathes the love against thy cheek
I dare not even write!
That gallant cavalier,
Who rode so gaily by thy side,
And whisper’d thee so near!
Were there no bonny dames at home,
Or no true lovers here,
That he should cross the seas to win
The dearest of the dear?
Descend along the shore,
With bands of noble gentlemen,
And banners waved before;
And gentle youth and maidens gay,
And snowy plumes they wore:
It would have been a beauteous dream,—
If it had been no more!
She went away with song,
With Music waiting on her steps,
And shoutings of the throng;
But some were sad, and felt no mirth,
But only Music’s wrong,
In sounds that sang Farewell, farewell,
To her you’ve loved so long.
That vessel never bore
So fair a lady on its deck,
Nor danced so light before,—
And sorrow on the shore!
The smile that bless’d one lover’s heart
Has broken many more!