182

THE CURSE OF KEHAMA.

To have its haunts. Do thou with stone and

shout

Ere thou liest down at evening, scare them out,
And in this robe of mine involve thy feet.
Duly commend us both to Heaven in prayer,
Be of good heart, and let thy sleep be sweet.

So saying, he put back his arm, and gave
The cloth which girt his loins, and prest her hand
With fervent love, then from the sand

Advanced into the sea; the coming Wave,
Which knew Kehama's curse, before his way
Started, and on he went as on dry land,
And still around his path the waters parted.
She stands upon the shore where seaweeds play,
Lashing her polish'd ankles, and the spray
Which off her Father, like a rainbow, fled,
Falls on her like a shower; there Kailyal stands,
And sees the billows rise above his head.
She, at the startling sight, forgot the power
The Curse had given him and held forth her hands
Imploringly, . . . her voice was on the wind,
And the deaf Ocean o'er Ladurlad closed.
Soon she recalled his destiny to mind,

And shaking off that natural fear, composed

Her soul with prayer to await the event resign'd.

THE CURSE OF KEHAMA.

Alone upon the solitary strand

The lovely one is left; behold her go,

Pacing with patient footsteps, to and fro,
Along the bending sand.

Save her, ye Gods! from evil Powers, and here
From Man she need not fear :

For never Traveller comes near

These awful ruins of the days of yore, Nor fisher's bark, nor venturous mariner, Approach the sacred shore.

183

All day she walked the beach, at night she sought
The Chamber of the Rock; with stone and shout
Assail'd the bats obscene, and scar'd them out;
Then in her Father's robe involved her feet,
And wrapt her mantle round to guard her head,
And laid her down the rock was Kailyal's bed,
Her chamber-lamps werein the starry sky,
The winds and waters were her lullaby.

Be of good heart, and let thy sleep be sweet,
Ladurlad said, . . . Alas! that cannot be

...

To one whose days are days of misery.
How often did she stretch her hands to greet
Ereenia, rescued in the dreams of night!
How oft, amid the vision of delight,

Fear in her heart all is not as it seems ;

184

THE CURSE OF KEHAMA.

Then from unsettled slumber start, and hear

The Winds that moan above, the Waves below! Thou hast been called, O Sleep! the friend of Woe, But 'tis the happy who have called thee so.

Another day, another night are gone,
A second passes, and a third wanes on.
So long she paced the shore,

So often on the beach she took her stand,

That the wild Sea-Birds knew her, and no more Fled, when she passed beside them on the strand. Bright shine the golden summits in the light Of the noon-sun, and lovelier far by night Their moonlight glories o'er the sea they shed: Fair is the dark-green deep: by night and day Unvexed with storms, the peaceful billows play, As when they closed over Ladurlad's head: The firmament above is bright and clear; The sea-fowls, lords of water, air, and land, Joyous alike upon the wing appear,

Or when they ride the waves, or walk the sand; Beauty and light and joy are everywhere;

There is no sadness and no sorrow here,

Save what that single human breast contains, But oh what hopes, and fears, and pains are there!

TO RECOVERY.

Seven miserable days the expectant Maid,

185

From earliest dawn till evening, watched the shore; Hope left her then; and in her heart she said, Never should she behold her Father more.

Southey.

TO RECOVERY.

RECOVERY, where art thou?

Daughter of Heaven, where shall we seek thy help?
Upon what hallowed fountain hast thou laid,
O nymph adored, thy spell?

By the grey ocean's verge,

Daughter of Heaven, we seek thee, but in vain ; We find no healing in the breeze that sweeps The thymy mountain's brow.

Where are the happy hours,

The sunshine where that cheered the morn of life! For Health is fled, and with her fled the joys Which made existence dear.

I saw the distant hills

Smile in the radiance of the orient beam,
And gazed delighted that anon our feet
Should visit scenes so fair.

186

TO RECOVERY.

I looked abroad at noon,

The shadow and the storm were on the hills;
The crags, which like a faery fabric shone,
Darkness had overwhelmed.

On you, ye coming years,

So fairly shone the April gleam of Hope;
So darkly o'er the distance, late so bright,
Now settle the dark clouds.

Come thou and chase away

Sorrow and Pain, the persecuting Powers
Who make the melancholy day so long,
So long the restless night.

Shall we not find thee here,

Recovery, on the ocean's breezy strand?
Is there no healing in the gales that sweep
The thymy mountain's brow?

I look for thy approach,

O life-preserving Power! as one who strays
Alone in darkness o'er the pathless marsh
Watches the dawn of day.

R. Southey.