To Jane: "The Keen Stars Were Twinkling" I. HE keen stars were twinkling, And the fair moon among them, Dear Jane! The guitar was tinkling, But the notes were not sweet till was rising you sung them Again. II. As the moon's soft splendour O'er the faint cold starlight of heaven is thrown, So your voice most tender To the strings without soul had then given Its own. III. The stars will awaken, Though the moon sleep a full hour later, To-night; No leaf will be shaken Whilst the dews of your melody scatter Delight. IV. Though the sound overpowers, Sing again, with your dear voice revealing A tone Of some world far from ours, Where music and moonlight and feeling Are one. Lines: "We Meet Not as We Parted" W I. E meet not as we parted, We feel more than all may see, My bosom is heavy-hearted, And thine full of doubt for me. One moment has bound the free. II. That moment is gone for ever, Like lightning that flashed and died, Like a snowflake upon the river, Like a sunbeam upon the tide, Which the dark shadows hide. III. That moment from time was singled As the first of a life of pain, The cup of its joy was mingled - Delusion too sweet though vain! Too sweet to be mine again. IV. Sweet lips, could my heart have hidden Ye would not have then forbidden V. Methinks too little cost For a moment so found, so lost! Note on Poems Poems of 1822, by Mrs. Shelley This morn thy gallant bark Have wrecked it on the lee. Ah, woe! ah, woe! By Spirits of the deep Thou'rt cradled on the billow To thy eternal sleep. Thou sleep'st upon the shore Beside the knelling surge, And Sea-nymphs evermore Shall sadly chaunt thy dirge. They come, they come, The Spirits of the deep,- My lonely watch I keep. From far across the sea I hear a loud lament, |