Ganymede

Azure the heaven with rare a feathery cloud ;
Azure the sea, far-scintillating light,
Soft rich like velvet yielding to the eye ;
Horizons haunted with some dream-like sails ;
A temple hypa;thral open to sweet air
Nigh on the height, columned with solid flame,
Of flutings and acanthus- work instinct
With lithe green lizards and the shadows sharp
Slant barring golden floor and inner wall.

A locust-tree condensing all the light
On glossy leaves, and flaky spilling some
Sparkling among cool umbrage underneath ;
There magically sobered mellow soft
At unaware beholding gently laid
A youth barelimbed the loveliest in the world,
Gloatingly falling on his lily side,
Smoothing one rounded arm and dainty hand
Whereon his head conscious and conquering
All chestnut-curled rests listless and superb ;
Near him and leaning on the chequered bole
Sits his companion gazing on him fond,
A goat-herd whose rough hand on bulky knee
Holds a rude hollow reeden pipe of Pan,
Tanned clad with goatskin rudely-moulded huge ;
While yonder, browsing in the rosemaiy
And cytisus, you hear a bearded goat,
Hear a fly humming with a droning bee
In yon wild thyme and in the myrtles low
That breathe in every feebly-blowing air ;
Whose foamy bloom fair Ganymede anon
Plucks with a royal motion and an aim
Toward his comrade's tolerant fond face.
Far off cicada shrills among the pine,
And one may hear low tinkling w'here a stream
Yonder in planes and willows, from the beam
Of day coy hiding, runs with many a pool
Where the twain bathe how often in the cool !

And so they know not of the gradual cloud
That stains the zenith with a little stain.
Then grows expansive, nearing one would say
The happy earth — until at last a noise
As of a rushing wind invades the ear,
Gathering volume, and the shepherd sees,
Amazed forth- peering, dusking closing all
Startled and tremulous rock-roses nigh,
Portentous shadow ; and before he may
Rise to explore the open, like a bolt
From heaven a prodigy descends at hand,
Absorbing daylight ; some tremendous bird.
An eagle, yet in plumage as in form
And stature far transcending any bird
Imperial inhabiting lone clefts
And piny crags of this Idsean range.

But lo I the pernatural dread thing,
Creating wind from cavernous vast vans.
Now slanting swoops toward them, hovering
Over the fair boy smitten dumb with awe.
A moment more, and how no mortal knows,
The bird hath seized him, if it be a bird,
And he though wildered hardly seems afraid,
So lightly lovingly those eagle talons
Lock the soft yielding flesh of either flank,
His back so tender, thigh and shoulder pillowed
How warmly whitely in the tawny down
Of that imperial eagle amorous !
Whose beaked head with eyes of burning flame
Nestles along the tremulous sweet heave
Of his fair bosom budding with a blush.
So that one arm droops pensile all aglow

Over the neck immense, and hangs a hand
Frail like a shell, pink like an apple bloom ;
While shadowy wings expansive waving wind
Jealously hide some beauty from the sun.

Poor hind ! he fancied as the pinions clanged
In their ascent, he looking open-mouthed
Distraught yet passive, that the boy's blue eye
Sought him in soaring ; his own gaze be sure
Wearied not famished feeding upon all
The youth's dear charms for ever vanishing
From his poor longing, hungered for in heaven —
Took his last fill of delicate flushed face,
And swelling leg and rose-depending foot.
Slim ankle, dimpling body rich and full.
Behold ! he fades receding evermore
From straining vision misting dim with tears,
Gleaming aloft swanwhite into the blue
Relieved upon the dusky ravisher,
Deeper and deeper glutting amorous light.
That cruel swallows him for evermore.