Henry Alford

A Remembrance

Methinks I can remember, when a shade
All soft and flowery was my couch, and I
A little naked child with fair white flesh
And wings all gold--bedropt: and o'er my head
Bright fruits were hanging, and tall balmy shrubs
Shed odorous gums around me; and I lay
Sleeping and waking in that wondrous air,
Which seemed infused with glory--and each breeze
Bore, as it wandered by, sweet melodies,
But whence I knew not:--one delight was there,
Whether of feeling or of sight or touch
I know not now--which is not on this earth,
Something all glorious and all beautiful
Of which our language speaketh not, and which
Flies from the eager graspings of my thought,
As doth the shade of a forgotten dream.
All knowledge had I; but I cared not then
To search into my soul and draw it thence:
The blessed creatures that around me played
I knew them all, and where their resting was,
And all their hidden symmetries I knew,
And how the form is linked unto the soul,
I knew it all; but thought not on it then,
I was so happy. And upon a time
I saw an army of bright beamy shapes,
Fair--faced and rosy--cinctured and gold--winged,
Approach upon the air: they came to me;
And from a chrystal chalice silver--brimmed
Put sparkling potion to my lips, and stood
All round me in the many--blooming shade,
Shedding into the centre where I lay
A mingling of soft light; and then they sung
Songs of the land they dwelt in: and the last
Lingereth even till now upon mine ear.

Holy and blest
Be the calm of thy rest,
For thy chamber of sleep
Shall be dark and deep;
They will dig thee a tomb
In the dark deep womb,
In the warm dark womb.

Spread ye, spread the dewy mist around him,
Spread ye, spread, till the thick dark night surround him,
Till the dark long night hath bound him,
Which bindeth all before their birth
Down upon the nether earth.
The first cloud is beamy and bright,
The next cloud is mellowed in light,
The third cloud is dim to the sight,
And it stretcheth away into gloomy night:

Twine ye, twine the mystic threads around him,
Twine ye, twine--till the fast firm fate surround him,
Till the firm cold fate hath bound him,
Which bindeth all before their birth
Down upon the nether earth.
The first thread is beamy and bright,
The next thread is mellowed in light,
The third thread is dim to the sight,
And it stretcheth away into gloomy night:--

Sing ye, sing the spirit song around him,
Sing ye, sing till the dull warm sleep surround him,
Till the warm damp sleep hath bound him,
Which bindeth all before their birth
Down upon the nether earth.
The first dream is beamy and bright,
The next dream is mellowed in light,
The third dream is dim to the sight,
And it stretcheth away into gloomy night:--

Holy and blest
Is the calm of thy rest,
For thy chamber of sleep
Is dark and deep;
They have dug thee a tomb
In the dark deep womb,
The warm dark womb.

Then dimness past upon me: and that song
Was sounding o'er me when I woke again
To be a pilgrim on the nether earth.