Poems Author:Alfred Tennyson Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: MARIANA IN THE SOUTH Behind the barren hill upsprung With pointed rocks against the light, The crag sharpshadowed overhung Each glaring creek and inl... more »et bright. Far, far, one lightblue ridge was seen, Looming like baseless fairyland ; Eastward a slip of burning sand, Dark-rimmed with sea, and bare of green. Down in the dry salt-marshes stood That house darklatticed. Not a breath Swayed the sick vineyard underneath, Or moved the dusty southernwood. See Poems, chiefly Lyrical. " Madonna," with melodious moan Sang Mariana, night and morn, " Madonna ! lo ! I am all alone, Love-forgotten and love-forlorn." She, as her carol sadder grew, From her warm brow and bosom down Through rosy taper fingers drew Her streaming curls of deepest brown On either side, and made appear, Still-lighted in a secret shrine, Her melancholy eyes divine, The home of woe without a tear. " Madonna," with melodious moan Sang Mariana, night and morn, " Madonna ! lo ! I am all alone, Love-forgotten and love-forlorn." When the dawncrimson changed, and past Into deep orange o'er the sea, Low on her knees herself she cast, Unto our lady prayed she. She moved her lips, she prayed alone, She praying disarrayed and warm From slumber, deep her wavy form In the darklustrous mirror shone. " Madonna," in a low clear tone Said Mariana, night and morn, Low she mourned, " I am all alone, Love-forgotten, and love-forlorn." At noon she slumbered. All along The silvery field, the large leaves talked With one another, as among The spiked maize in dreams she walked. The lizard leapt: the sunlight played : She heard the callow nestling lisp, And brimful meadow-runnels crisp, In the full-leaved platan-shade. In sleep she breathed in a lower tone, Murm...« less