THE FLOWERING TREE.

What Fairy fann’d my dreams while I slept in the sun? As if a flowering tree were standing over me: Its young stem strong and lithe went branching overhead And willowy sprays around fell tasseling to the ground All with wild blossom gay as is the cherry in May When her fresh flaunt of leaf gives crowns of golden green. The sunlight was enmesh’d in the shifting splendour And I saw through on high to soft lakes of blue sky: Ne’er was mortal slumber so lapt in luxury. Rather—Endymion— would I sleep in the sun Neath the trees divinely with day’s azure above When my love of Beauty is met by beauty’s love. So I slept enchanted under my loving tree Till from his late resting the sweet songster of night Rousing awaken’d me: Then! this—the birdis note— Was the voice of thy throat which thou gav’st me to kiss.