THE USE OF NIGHT
I said: “What is the use of sombre night?”The Moon replied: “To frame my love-wan face.”A fairy dame said: “That my fresh-wove laceMay on the grasses catch the Sun’s first light.”“That we may keep with song our ancient rite,”Croaked glistening frogs from their dank dwelling place.“That I may halt,” a man said, “in my race,And rest my eyes that are grown tired of sight.”Your ebon frame, pale Moon, makes you more fair;Weave, gentle neighbor; frogs, pipe loud your song;Sad traveller, be dreamless sleep your share.And I would have night twenty times as long,And clasp my love in some dark bower whereThe Day could never come to do us wrong.
I said: “What is the use of sombre night?”The Moon replied: “To frame my love-wan face.”A fairy dame said: “That my fresh-wove laceMay on the grasses catch the Sun’s first light.”“That we may keep with song our ancient rite,”Croaked glistening frogs from their dank dwelling place.“That I may halt,” a man said, “in my race,And rest my eyes that are grown tired of sight.”Your ebon frame, pale Moon, makes you more fair;Weave, gentle neighbor; frogs, pipe loud your song;Sad traveller, be dreamless sleep your share.And I would have night twenty times as long,And clasp my love in some dark bower whereThe Day could never come to do us wrong.
I said: “What is the use of sombre night?”The Moon replied: “To frame my love-wan face.”A fairy dame said: “That my fresh-wove laceMay on the grasses catch the Sun’s first light.”“That we may keep with song our ancient rite,”Croaked glistening frogs from their dank dwelling place.“That I may halt,” a man said, “in my race,And rest my eyes that are grown tired of sight.”
I said: “What is the use of sombre night?”
The Moon replied: “To frame my love-wan face.”
A fairy dame said: “That my fresh-wove lace
May on the grasses catch the Sun’s first light.”
“That we may keep with song our ancient rite,”
Croaked glistening frogs from their dank dwelling place.
“That I may halt,” a man said, “in my race,
And rest my eyes that are grown tired of sight.”
Your ebon frame, pale Moon, makes you more fair;Weave, gentle neighbor; frogs, pipe loud your song;Sad traveller, be dreamless sleep your share.And I would have night twenty times as long,And clasp my love in some dark bower whereThe Day could never come to do us wrong.
Your ebon frame, pale Moon, makes you more fair;
Weave, gentle neighbor; frogs, pipe loud your song;
Sad traveller, be dreamless sleep your share.
And I would have night twenty times as long,
And clasp my love in some dark bower where
The Day could never come to do us wrong.