COMO.
Joaquin Miller
he lakes lay bright as bits of broken moon - Just newly set within the cloven earth;
- The ripen'd fields drew round a golden girth
- Far up the steeps, and glittered in the noon;
- And when the sun fell down, from leafy shore
- Fond lovers stole in pairs to ply the oar;
- The stars, as large as lilies, fleck'd the blue;
- From out the Alps the moon came wheeling through
- The rocky pass the great Napoleon knew.
- A gala night it was, the season's prime.
- We rode from castled lake to festal town,
- To fair Milan my friend and I; rode down
- By night, where grasses waved in rippled rhyme:
- And so, what theme but love at such a time?
- His proud lip curl'd the while with silent scorn
- At thought of love; and then, as one forlorn,
- He sigh'd; then bared his temples, dash'd with gray;
- Then mock'd, as one outworn and well blasé.
- A gorgeous tiger lily, flaming red,—
- So full of battle, of the trumpets blare,
- Of old-time passion, uprear'd its head.
- I gallop'd past. I lean'd, I clutch'd it there
- From out the stormy grass. I held it high,
- And cried: "Lo! this to-night shall deck her hair
- Through all the dance. And mark! the man shall die
- Who dares assault, for good or ill design,
- The citadel where I shall set this sign."
- O, she shone fairer than the summer star,
- Or curl'd sweet moon in middle destiny;
- More fair than sun-morn climbing up the sea,
- Where all the loves of Adriana are....
- Who loves, who truly loves, will stand aloof:
- The noisy tongue makes most unholy proof
- Of shallow passion....All the while afar
- From out the dance I stood and watched my star,
- My tiger lily borne, an oriflamme of war.
- Adown the dance she moved with matchless grace.
- The world my world moved with her. Suddenly
- I question'd whom her cavalier might be?
- Twas he! His face was leaning to her face!
- I clutch'd my blade; I sprang, I caught my breath,—
- And so, stood leaning cold and still as death.
- And they stood still. She blushed, then reach'd and tore
- The lily as she pass'd, and down the floor
- She strew'd its heart like jets of gushing gore
- 'Twas he said heads, not hearts, were made to break:
- He taught this that night in splendid scorn.
- I learn'd too well....The dance was done. ere morn
- We mounted—he and I—but no more spake
- And this for woman's love! My lily worn
- In her dark hair in pride, to then be torn
- And trampled on, for this bold stranger's sake!....
- Two men rode silent back toward the lake;
- Two men rode silent down but only one
- Rode up at morn to meet the rising sun.
- The red-clad fishers row and creep
- Below the crags as half asleep,
- Nor ever make a single sound.
- The walls are steep,
- The waves are deep;
- And if a dead man should be found
- By these same fishers in their round,
- Why, who shall say but he was drown'd ?