And this was the reason that, long ago, In this kingdom by the sea, A wind blew out of a cloud, chilling My beautiful Annabel Lee ; So that her highborn kinsman came, To shut her up in a sepulchre In this kingdom by the sea. The angels, not half so happy in heaven, Yes!-that was the reason (as all men know, That the wind came out of the cloud by night, But our love it was stronger by far than the love Of those who were older than we Of many far wiser than we— And neither the angels in heaven above, Nor the demons down under the sea, ΤΟ Can ever dissever my soul from the soul Of the beautiful ANNABEL LEE. For the moon never beams without bringing me dreams And the stars never rise but I feel the bright eyes And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side In her tomb by the sounding sea. TO MY MOTHER. BECAUSE I feel that, in the Heavens above, Can find, among their burning terms of love, Therefore by that dear name I long have called you— And fill my heart of hearts, where Death installed you My mother-my own mother, who died early, Are mother to the one I loved so dearly, And thus are dearer than the mother I knew By that infinity with which my wife Was dearer to my soul than its soul-life. THE HAUNTED PALACE. In the greenest of our valleys Once a fair and stately palace— Radiant palace—reared its head. In the monarch Thought's dominion— It stood there! Never seraph spread a pinion Over fabric half so fair! Banners yellow, glorious, golden, Time long ago,) And every gentle air that dallied, In that sweet day, Along the ramparts plumed and pallid, Wanderers in that happy valley, Through two luminous windows, saw Spirits moving musically, To a lute's well-tunèd law, Round about a throne where, sitting (Porphyrogene!) In state his glory well-befitting, The ruler of the realm was seen. And all with pearl and ruby glowing Was the fair palace door, Through which came flowing, flowing, flowing, And sparkling evermore, A troop of Echoes, whose sweet duty Was but to sing, In voices of surpassing beauty, The wit and wisdom of their king. |