Than wildest wing may fly,

Hath heard or hears,—even Æschylus as I.

[Pg 323]

But when thy name was woman, and thy word

Human,—then haply, surely then meseems

This thy bird's note was heard on earth of none,

Of none save only in dreams.

In all the world then surely was but one

Song; as in heaven at highest one sceptred sun

Regent, on earth here surely without fail

One only, one imperious nightingale.

Dumb was the field, the woodland mute, the lawn

Silent; the hill was tongueless as the vale

Even when the last fair waif of cloud that felt

Its heart beneath the colouring moonrays melt,

At high midnoon of midnight half withdrawn,

Bared all the sudden deep divine moondawn.

Then, unsaluted by her twin-born tune,

That latter timeless morning of the moon

Rose past its hour of moonrise; clouds gave way

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