Ode on Melancholy

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1. No, no! go not to Lethe, neither twist
2. Wolf's-bane, tight-rooted, for its poisonous wine;
3. Nor suffer thy pale forehead to be kiss'd
4. By nightshade, ruby grape of Proserpine;
5. Make not your rosary of yew-berries,
6. Nor let the beetle, or the death-moth be
7. Your mournful Psyche, nor the downy owl
8. A partner in your sorrow's mysteries;
9. For shade to shade will come too drowsily,
10. And drown the wakeful anguish of the soul.
11.  
12. II
13.  
14. But when the melancholy fit shall fall
15. Sudden from heaven like a weeping cloud,
16. That fosters the droop-headed flowers all,
17. And hides the green hills in an April shroud;
18. Then glut thy sorrow on a morning rose,
19. Or on the rainbow of the salt-sand wave,
20. Or on the wealth of globed peonies;
21. Or if thy mistress some rich anger shows,
22. Emprison her soft hand, and let her rave,
23. And feed deep, deep upon her peerless eyes.
24.  
25. III
26.  
27. She dwells with Beauty—Beauty that must die;
28. And Joy, whose hand is ever at his lips
29. Bidding adieu; and aching Pleasure nigh,
30. Turning to poison while the bee-mouth sips:
31. Aye, in the very temple of Delight
32. Veil'd Melancholy has her sovran shrine,
33. Though seen of none save him whose strenuous tongue
34. Can burst Joy's grape against his palate fine;
35. His soul shall taste the sadness of her might,
36. And be among her cloudy trophies hung.