The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1877-04-11
fFor the HEEALp.l
SANDS OF EGYPT.
CLEOPATRA

SANDS OF EGYPT.
CLEOPATRA.
Last night as waked In the moonlight
Listened in vain for your speech;
] lay in the light and stretched me,
But empty my aching arms reached.
drew back my silken curtains
To let in the splendor of night,
And 1t fell on my hot, throbblng bosom,
That glowed and pulsed In its light;
breathed the soft breath of midnight,
hsthed In the moons silver food,
TN painted with heat and the fever
OF love In my riotous blood.
tossed on my hot eoucs OF purple,
TIL wished that It were grave;
Then went to the CT ystalline fountain,
There my hot body to lave.
dipped In the sparkling waters
Beneath the broad light Of the moon;
And the air was oppressive with frsgrance,
or flowers that hung folded ut noon.
IlIstlessly gazed on the garden,
Where palm-trees bowed to the wave;
For my heart ached under the burden,
OF jealousy strong as the grave;
Aye, strong as the grave, and more cruel;
For Antony tarries away.
Has q woman captured the hero
Cnce victor in every fray7
Has q woman fettered my tyrant,
With chains of her golden hair.
Does she feed on his eloquent kisses,
And has he forgotten me there
Ho! CHAIRMAN, call me messenger;
Twill send once more to my brave,
My grand, grsy-haired old Roman;
Safe carry this message, o slave.
Since the dreary day when my soldier
Girded his armor and sword,
And marched at the call Of young Caesar,
have never forgotten my word.
Not made was my promise for breaking,
Though Antony said, with . smile,
Expect nothing more from . WOMAN
l'st netso. my sweet serpent Of Nilee'
All, where Is q king like my Roman,
With his royal, god-like form;
With arms strong a. steel from Damascus,
And his voice as grand as the storm:
Whose shoulders are broad, snowy mountains
Whose lips like the pomegransse bud;
Dark eyes, like the deep pools In forests,
But stirred with his hot, jealous blood:
Never another was like him,
No warrior 50 brave or 30 true.
Canany enc blame me, or wonder
That into nay life he grew:
Antony, come back to your Egypt.
The hours are so weary 1t seems
The only delight in iife's promise
Appears to me In my dreams
One night ! lay In deep slumber,
Oppressed by the evenings still heat.
And dreamed saw you lying
Stretched at a woman's feet;
rha, up to her pale, high forehead
Were raised your passionate eyes,
And you iited the hem of her garment,
While your breath was broken With sighs-
You raised the hem Of her garment,
And pressed II long to your lips
And, as II her mouth were her raiment
lou kissed as the honey-bee sips.
Then Allied with jealous fury,
Isprang at her slender neck
But you stretched your hands and caught me-
And held my fury in check;
And struggled. and screamed, and pa.lsd,
While her carmins cheek turned pale;
And she tfsnhlst- and assopsA, ,ana -sht0uk
Like a lily before gale.
And then your red lips parted,
And your white teeth showed between,
As You said ~ viii go to Egypt,
And never will leave my queen"
But then awoke and called you
1cailed to empty space;
1 listened for your answer,
To hear but the sullen pace
OF the allow and sluggish river
That ereeps BY the palace door:
And turned on my heated pillow.
And vep,, for my heart was sore
would give my kingdom TO see you,
II only q little while,
You could come again and call me
Your old, sweet serpent Of Nile.
For my grim and Erirsled hero,
With his crisp and curling hair,
Widowed forever leaves me,
II he forxets me there.
Bring tiger-lily, Iras,
Twin have my fortune told
Twin have lover for every
Black spot on itspetals of gold;
The leaves shall all be falchions.
To kew dissenters down;
And then will call my soldier
And III give him Egypt's crown
Lily, what is my fortuner
VIII my Antony come home
To his burning sands Of Egypt,
Or tary there in Rome?
See the spotted lily quivers
Look. the heavy palm-trees wave.
And the lions now lie crouching,
That once stalked roaming. brave;
And the iistless, tagging waters
Have lsnguished TIL they burn,
And it seems all Egypt's waiting
For Antony's return
What Here Roman soldier.
Coed news bring You from Rome
Quick tell me Of my Antony,
And say he Is coming home.
Home to squeen, who loves him
Home to his longing mate,
Who days long since has wearied
OF watching but she waits
Your news, grim silent minion,
My Antony, when viii be Gomez
And was he friends with Cesar
when you lefl him there in Rolaes
Chairman, have l been dreaming
Was soldier here from Rone=
Did he tell me Of my Antony.
And say be vas coming home:
Here, LET ne whisper SOFTLY,
Lest you shall think rave:
Did be tell me, my Antony
Has welded the pale Octaye:
What shall Ido, Chairman
Where hide my shame and grief
Give me to drink mandragara,