Twins

Affectionately Inscribed to W.M.R. and L.R.     April, on whose wings     Ride all gracious things,     Like the star that brings     All things good to man,     Ere his light, that yet     Makes the month shine, set,     And fair May forget     Whence her birth began,     Brings, as heart would choose,     Sound of golden news,     Bright as kindling dews     When the dawn begins;     Tidings clear as mirth,     Sweet as air and earth     Now that hail the birth,     Twice thus blest, of twins.     In the lovely land     Where with hand in hand     Lovers wedded stand     Other joys before     Made your mixed life sweet:     Now, as Time sees meet,     Three glad blossoms greet     Two glad blossoms more.     Fed with sun and dew,     While your joys were new,     First arose and grew     One bright olive-shoot:     Then a fair and fine     Slip of warm-haired pine     Felt the sweet sun shine     On its leaf and fruit,     And it wore for mark     Graven on the dark     Beauty of its bark     That the noblest name     Worn in song of old     By the king whose bold     Hand had fast in hold     All the flower of fame.     Then, with southern skies     Flattered in her eyes,     Which, in lovelier wise     Yet, reflect their blue     Brightened more, being bright     Here with lifes delight,     And with loves live light     Glorified anew,     Came, as fair as came     One who bore her name     (She that broke as flame     From the swan-shell white),     Crowned with tender hair     Only, but more fair     Than all queens that were     Themes of oldworld fight,     Of your flowers the third     Bud, or new-fledged bird     In your hearts nest heard     Murmuring like a dove     Bright as those that drew     Over waves where blew     No loud wind the blue     Heaven-hued car of love.     Not the glorious grace     Even of that one face     Potent to displace     All the towers of Troy     Surely shone more clear     Once with childlike cheer     Than this childs face here     Now with living joy.     After these again     Here in Aprils train     Breaks the bloom of twain     Blossoms in one birth     For a crown of May     On the front of day     When he takes his way     Over heaven and earth.     Half a heavenly thing     Given from heaven to Spring     By the sun her king,     Half a tender toy,     Seems a child of curl     Yet too soft to twirl;     Seems the flower-sweet girl     By the flower-bright boy.     All the kind gods grace,     All their love, embrace     Ever either face,     Ever brood above them:     All soft wings of hours     Screen them as with flowers     From all beams and showers:     All lifes seasons love them.     When the dews of sleep     Falling lightliest keep     Eyes too close to peep     Forth and laugh off rest,     Joy from face to feet     Fill them, as is meet:     Life to them be sweet     As their mothers breast     When those dews are dry,     And in days bright eye     Looking full they lie     Bright as rose and pearl,     All returns of joy     Pure of times alloy     Bless the rose-red boy,     Guard the rose-white girl. POSTSCRIPT.     Friends, if I could take     Half a note from Blake     Or but one verse make     Of the Conquerors mine,     Better than my best     Song above your nest     I would sing: the quest     Now seems too divine.