Elizabeth Barrett Browning - A Romance Of The Ganges lyrics

Seven maidens 'neath the midnight
 Stand near the river-sea
Whose water sweepeth white around
 The shadow of the tree
The moon and earth are face to face
 And earth is slumbering deep
The wave-voice seems the voice of dreams
 That wander through her sleep:
   The river floweth on

What bring they 'neath the midnight
 Beside the river-sea?
 They bring the human heart wherein
No nightly calm can be
That droppeth never with the wind
 Nor drieth with the dew:
Oh, calm in God! thy calm is broad
 To cover spirit's too
   The river floweth on

The maidens lean them over


 The waters, side by side
And shun each other's deepening eyes
 And gaze adown the tide
For each within a little boat
 A little lamp hath put
And heaped for freight some lily's weight
 Or scarlet rose half shut
   The river floweth on

Of shell of cocoa carven
 Each little boat is made
Each carries a lamp, and carries a flower
 And carries a hope unsaid
And when the boat hath carried the lamp
 Unquenched till out of sight
The maiden is sure that love will endure
 But love will fail with light
   The river floweth on

Why, all the stars are ready
 To symbolize the soul
The stars untroubled by the wind
 Unwearied as they roll
And yet the soul by instinct sad
 Reverts to symbols low
To that small flame, whose very name
 Breathed o'er it, shakes it so!
   The river floweth on

Six boats are on the river
 Seven maidens on the shore
While still above them steadfastly
   The stars shine evermore
Go, little boats, go soft and safe
 And guard the symbol spark!
The boats aright go safe and bright
 Across the waters dark
   The river floweth on

The maiden Luti watcheth
 Where onwardly they float:
That look in her dilating eyes
 Might seem to drive her boat:
Her eyes still mark the constant fire
 And kindling unawares
That hopeful while, she lets a smile
 Creep silent through her prayers
   The river floweth on

The smile where hath it wandered?
 She riseth from her knee
She holds her dark, wet locks away
 There is no light to see!
She cries a quick and bitter cry
 "Nuleeni, launch me thine!
We must have light abroad to-night
 For all the wreck of mine"
   The river floweth on

"I do remember watching
 Beside this river-bed
When on my childish knee was leaned
 My dying father's head
I turned mine own to keep the tears
 From falling on his face:
What doth it prove when Death and Love
 Choose out the self-same place?"
   The river floweth on

"They say the dead are joyful
 The death-change here receiving:
Who say ah me! who dare to say
 Where joy comes to the living?
Thy boat, Nuleeni! look not sad
 Light up the waters rather!
I weep no faithless lover where
 I wept a loving father"
   The river floweth on

"My heart foretold his falsehood
 Ere my little boat grew dim
And though I closed mine eyes to dream
 That one last dream of him
They shall not now be wet to see
 The shining vision go:
From earth's cold love I look above
 To the holy house of snow"
   The river floweth on

"Come thou thou never knewest
 A grief, that thou shouldst fear one!
Thou wearest still the happy look
 That shines beneath a dear one:
Thy humming-bird is in the sun
 Thy cuckoo in the grove
And all the three broad worlds, for thee
 Are full of wandering love"
   The river floweth on

"Why, maiden, dost thou loiter?
 What secret wouldst thou cover?
That peepul cannot hide thy boat
 And I can guess thy lover
I heard thee sob his name in sleep
 It was a name I knew:
Come, little maid, be not afraid
 But let us prove him true!"
   The river floweth on

The little maiden cometh
 She cometh shy and slow
I ween she seeth through her lids
 They drop adown so low:
Her tresses meet her small bare feet
 She stands and speaketh nought
Yet blusheth red as if she said
The name she only thought
   The river floweth on

She knelt beside the water
 She lighted up the flame
And o'er her youthful forehead's calm
 The fitful radiance came:
"Go, little boat, go soft and safe
 And guard the symbol spark!"
Soft, safe doth float the little boat
 Across the waters dark
   The river floweth on

Glad tears her eyes have blinded
 The light they cannot reach
She turneth with that sudden smile
 She learnt before her speech
"I do not hear his voice, the tears
   Have dimmed my light away
But the symbol light will last to-night
The love will last for aye!"
   The river floweth on

Then Luti spake behind her
 Outspake she bitterly
"By the symbol light that lasts to-night
 Wilt vow a vow to me?"
Nuleeni gazeth up her face
 Soft answer maketh she
"By loves that last when lights are past
 I vow that vow to thee!"
   The river floweth on

An earthly look had Luti
 Though her voice was deep as prayer
"The rice is gathered from the plains
 To cast upon thine hair:
But when he comes his marriage band
 Around thy neck to throw
Thy bride-smile raise to meet his gaze
And whisper, There is one betrays
 While Luti suffers woe"
   The river floweth on

"And when in seasons after
 Thy little bright-faced son
Shall lean against thy knee and ask
 What deeds his sire hath done
Press deeper down thy mother-smile
 His glossy curls among
View deep his pretty childish eyes
And whisper, There is none denies
 While Luti speaks of wrong"
V    The river floweth on

Nuleeni looked in wonder
 Yet softly answered she
"By loves that last when lights are past
 I vowed that vow to thee:
But why glads it thee that a bride day be
 By a word of woe defiled?
That a word of wrong take the cradle-song
 From the ear of a sinless child?"
"Why?" Luti said, and her laugh was dread
 And her eyes dilated wild
"That the fair new love
May her bridegroom prove
 And the father shame the child!"
   The river floweth on

"Thou flowest still, O river
 Thou flowest 'neath the moon
Thy lily hath not changed a leaf
 Thy charmèd lute a tune:
He mixed his voice with thine and his
 Was all I heard around
But now, beside his chosen bride
 I hear the river's sound"
   The river floweth on

"I gaze upon her beauty
 Through the tresses that enwreathe it
The light above thy wave, is hers
 My rest, alone beneath it:
Oh, give me back the dying look
 My father gave thy water!
Give back and let a little love
 O'erwatch his weary daughter!"
   The river floweth on

"Give back!" she hath departed
 The word is wandering with her
And the stricken maidens hear afar
 The step and cry together
Frail symbols? None are frail enow
 For mortal joys to borrow!
While bright doth float Nuleeni's boat
 She weepeth dark with sorrow
   The river floweth on