The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1866-04-05
Che Aortolk Fest.
THURSDAY, APRIL 5. 1865.
a NEW POEM FROM THE OLD CLASSICS

NEW fOE8 fkO4 THE OLD CLASSICS
Hsrpers Easy Chair, in tho Magazine for April under
the head Of "New Poems from the Old Classics" intro
dacssa very beautiful poem by Mrs. whitmsa, on tn.
Greek fable OF Proserpns. II s the editor well says
touched 10 novel key. and with q fine, passionate
feeling:
PR0sERPINA ON EARTH TO PLUTO IN HADEs.
"Nsc rspetita seoul euret Proserrins mstrep, "
Georpied, lib 1.
Some OF the Nytboiosss have limited that II moi
without reluctance that Poscpna assoned tina decree
OF Jupiter that she should pass six months Of the year
With her mother, Ceres ON earth, or as some say III
eaven.n--Aal1es'.
think 90 thee amid these sprng.time nowsrs
On thee. my emperor, my soyran lord,
Dwelling alone In dim Tarisrean towers
or thy dark realm by earth and heaven abhorred
wandering alone by that Ayernian river
Where dead kings walk and phsntcms wall forever.
think Of thee In that stern palace regnant
Where no sweet voice OF summer charms the afr
where the vast solitude seems pregnant
with some dark dream OF unforetold despair.
Ihy love, remembered doth heavens light eclipse:
feei thy lingering Kisses on my lips
snguIsh for the late aatumnai showers,
The cool cool fpashing OF the autumn rain,
The shimmering hoar.ffest and fastfading flowers
That give me back 70 thy dark realm again.
To thee III bring sicis's starry skies
And all the heaven OF summer In my eyes.
When from eartls nooutide beauty borne away
To the pale praires OF that under world
mournful Hover upon thy breast ! lay
TIL round thy heart It's clinging tsndrils curled--
htghted dove, that tanned its 1uttering pInion
Iofhs dear magic Of thy loves dominion.
For thou vert grsndiy beautiful as night
stern 0rcus in thy realm Of buried kings
And thy sad crown of cypress 10 my sight
fsiref than all the bright and 1owery rings
on wreathed peoples and Of golden corn
By Ceres on her stately temples worn.
sat beside thee on IIslls dusky throne,
Nor feared the awful shadow Of thy fate;
Content to share the burden OF thy crown,
:, Ard all the monrniul spendors Of thy state;
bending my flower like beauty 10 thy will
Seeking with light thy lonely dark 10 All.
Wondering, think how Thy dear love hath bound me
In n new life that half foreets the old
All day haunt the meadows whore you found me,
kneedeep In dafciils Of dushy gold
Or sit beside Cyanes fonrtsn n, dreaming
OF the FED lake by thy dark palace cleaning
The dreadful gorge, through which fret descended
To thy dark world seems like yon stormy sky,
Through whose dark thunderrifts daylight ended,
Wild poinps Of sunset opened ell tho eye
when slialIf pass again that gloomy portal
To our throned palace In the realms immortal
When IN her car by winged dragons borne
psls Ceres sought ne through the shuddering ngh,,
With angry torches and fierce eyes forIorD
Staying the dark tba. screened me from her sight
Like y ret lioncss that renJs the air
VI midnight with her psrilous despair.
Jove, plying the gr-s. passion Of her woe
Gave back thy queenbrido to the mothers grief
To Ceres gave-taroush summers golden glow
And all the crescent months from spear 10 .hoaf;
Alas, how sadly In Siciiian bowers
pass this lonely, lingering time Of Aowersl
In the long silence OF the langu,d noons
When all the painting birds faint with heat,
wander lonely by the blue lagoons
To hear their VI bt waves rippug " INV feet
Through the dead calm and c.nn, the lingering time