“Cadenabbia” [poem]
Cadenabbia
Oh love coolly came on Comos lake
The lovely beams of morning mild,
That oer the Lecco mountains break, 1
And red their summits piled,
That high above their dim shore,
Their weary winter garments bore,
The broad boat lay along the tide
The light waves lapped its sloping side
And soft perfume of orange trees
By fits came on the landward breeze
The trouts shot through the waters blue
Like small stars in the heaven glance
Or hid them where the broad weeds grew
With wavy motion dancing.
Away, away, across the lake 2
How fast retires yon myrtle brake
All sprinkled with a silver shower.
Clear, as if near, nor faint, though far
Shines on the mountain, like a star.
The rock born torrents milky spray
And many a small boat on its way
Urged by a breeze that bore them well
Though unfelt as invisible
With sunshine on their winglike sail,
Past like young Eaglets on the gale.
The steps were broken. mossed and steep. a
The waters sparkling, clear, and deep.
The rock was high, the cavern dark
Scarce lit up by the jewelled spark,
Of the cold stream, that under earth
Was buri darkling buried at its birth. 3
Nor once its wave had sunned, nor seen,
Where the deep waters, as a home
Received the torrents churned foam
We launched again, and downward bore
Awhile beside the centre shore.
Then left the shadowy eastern lake
Crossed through thick vines the wooded cape.
Struck the clear wave with long light oar
Left a white wake that sought the shore,
High oer the boat the awning spread,
And quick as sun
Toward the southward fled.
The lovely beams of morning mild,
That oer the Lecco mountains break, 1
And red their summits piled,
Ruskin's line number
1420That high above their dim shore,
System generated line number
5Their weary winter garments bore,
The broad boat lay along the tide
The light waves lapped its sloping side
And soft perfume of orange trees
Ruskin's line number
1425By fits came on the landward breeze
System generated line number
1080
The trouts shot through the waters blue
Like small stars in the heaven glance
Or hid them where the broad weeds grew
With wavy motion dancing.
Ruskin's line number
1430Away, away, across the lake 2
System generated line number
15How fast retires yon myrtle brake
All sprinkled with a silver shower.
On
Thro
ugh
the dark leaves of lemon flower.Clear, as if near, nor faint, though far
Ruskin's line number
1435
Ruskin's line number
40Shines on the mountain, like a star.
System generated line number
20The rock born torrents milky spray
And many a small boat on its way
Urged by a breeze that bore them well
Though unfelt as invisible
Ruskin's line number
1440With sunshine on their winglike sail,
System generated line number
25Past like young Eaglets on the gale.
The steps were broken. mossed and steep. a
The waters sparkling, clear, and deep.
The rock was high, the cavern dark
Ruskin's line number
1445Scarce lit up by the jewelled spark,
System generated line number
30Of the cold stream, that under earth
Was buri darkling buried at its birth. 3
Nor once its wave had sunned, nor seen,
A
O
ught but dark rock, and ice caves green
Ruskin's line number
1450Where the deep waters, as a home
System generated line number
35Received the torrents churned foam
We launched again, and downward bore
Awhile beside the centre shore.
Then left the shadowy eastern lake
Ruskin's line number
1455Crossed through thick vines the wooded cape.
System generated line number
40Struck the clear wave with long light oar
Left a white wake that sought the shore,
High oer the boat the awning spread,
And quick as sun
‸
‐red
waves
b
flashed before
Ruskin's line number
1460Toward the southward fled.
System generated line number
45