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Mazelli,andOtherPoems1Mazelli,andOtherPoemsByGeorgeW.SandsMazelli,andOtherPoems2CantoI.I.Stay,traveller,staythywearysteed,Thesultryhourofnoonisnear,Ofrestthyway-wornlimbshaveneed,Stay,then,and,tasteitssweetnesshere.ThemountainpathwhichthouhastspedIssteep,anddifficulttotread,Andmanyafartherstep'twillcost,Erethouwiltfindanotherhost;Butifthouscorn'stnothumblefare,Suchasthepilgrimlovestoshare,--Notluxury'senfeeblingspoil,Butbreadsecuredbypatienttoil--Thenlendthineeartomyrequest,Andbetheoldman'swelcomeguest.Thouseestyonagedwillowtree,Inallitssummerpomparrayed,'Tisnear,wendthither,then,withme,Mycotisbuiltbeneathitsshade;AndfromitsrootsclearwatersburstTocoolthylip,andquenchthythirst:--Iloveit,andifharmshould,comeToit,IthinkthatIshouldweep;'Tisasaguardianofmyhome,SofaithfullyitseemstokeepItswatchabovethespotwhereIHavelivedsolong,andmeantodie.Come,pardonmeforpratingthus,Butage,youknow,isgarrulous;Andinlife'sdimdecline,weholdThricedearwhate'erwelovedofold,--Thestreamuponwhosebanksweplayed,Theforestthroughwhoseshadeswestrayed,ThespottowhichfromsobertruthWestoletodreamthedreamsofyouth,ThesinglestarofallNight'szone,Whichwehavechosenasourown,EachhasitshauntingmemoryOfthingswhichnevermoremaybe.II.ThusspakeanagedmantooneWhomanhood'sracehadjustbegun.Hisformofmanhood'snoblestlengthWasstrungwithmanhood'sstouteststrength,AndburnedwithinhiseagleeyeTheblazeoftamelessenergy--Mazelli,andOtherPoems3Nottamelessbutuntamed--forlifeSoonbreaksthespiritwithitsstrifeAndtheywhointheirsoulshavenursedThebrightestvisions,arethefirstTolearnhowDisappointment'sblightStripslifeofitsillusivelight;HowdreamsthehearthasdearestheldAreeverfirsttobedispelled;Howhope,andpower,andlove,andfame,Areeachanidlysoundingname,Aphantom,adeceit,awile,Thatwoosanddazzlestobeguile.Buttimehadnotyettutoredhim,Theyouthofhardyheartandlimb,Whoquicklydrewhiscourser'sbit;Forthoughtoohaughtytosubmit,Instrifeformasterywithmen,Yettoaprayer,oracaress,Hissoulbecameallgentleness,--Aninfant'shandmightleadhimthen:Soansweredhe,--InsooththewayMysteedandIhavepassedto-day,Isofsuchweary,windinglength,Assorelytohavetriedourstrength,AndIwillblessthebreadandsaltOfhimwhokindlybidsmehalt.Thenspringinglightlytotheground,Hisgirthandsaddleheunbound,Andturningfromthepathaside,Thesteedandguest,thehostandguide,Soughtwheretheoldman'sfriendlydoorStoodeveropentothepoor:Thepoor--forseldomcamethegreat,Orrich,theapersoftheirstate,Thatsimple,rudeabodetosee,Orclaimitshospitality.III.Fromwherethehermit'scottagestood,Beneathitshugeoldguardiantree,Thegazer'swand'ringeyemightsee,Where,initsmazeoffieldandwood,Andstretchingmanyaleagueaway,Abroadandsmilingvalleylay:--Laystillycalm,andsweetlyfair,AsifDeathhadnotenteredthere;Asifitsflowers,sobrightofbloom,Itsbirds,sogayofsongandwing,Wouldneverlosetheirsoftperfume,Wouldnever,neverceasetosing.Fatflockswereinitsglensatrest,Purewaterswanderedo'eritsbreast,Theskywasclear,thewindswerestill,Richharvestsgrewoneveryhill,Thesuninmid-dayglorysmiled,Andnatureslumberedasachild.Mazelli,andOtherPoems4IV.Andnow,theirrusticbanquetdone,AndshelteredfromthenoontidesunBytheoldwillow'spleasantshade,Theguestandhostthescenesurveyed;Markedhowthemountain'smightybaseThevalley'scoursewasseentotrace;MarkedhowitsgracefulazurecrestAgainstthesky'sbluearchwaspressed,AndhowitslongandrockychainWaspartedsuddenlyintwain,Wherethroughachasm,wideanddeep,Potomac'srapidwaterssweep,Whilerocksthatpressthemountain'sbrow,Nodo'erhiswavesfar,farbelow;(1)Markedhowthosewaves,inonebroadblaze,Threwbackthesun'smeridianrays,And,flashingastheyrolledalong,Seemedallalivewithlightandsong;MarkedhowgreenbowerandgardenshowedWhererosethehusbandman'sabode,AndhowthevillagewallswereseenToglimmerwithasilverysheen,SuchastheSpaniardsaw,ofyore,HangoverTenuchtitlan'swalls,Whenmaddenedwiththelustofgore,Hecametodesecrateherhalls;Tofirehertemples,towers,andthrones,Andturnhersongsofpeacetogroans.Theygazed,tillfromthehermit'seyeAtearstoleslowandsilently;Atear,whichMemory'shandhadtakenFromadeepfountainlongcongealed;Atear,whichshowedhowstronglyshakenTheheartmustbe,whichthusrevealed,Throughtime'sdimshadows,gatheringfast,Itsrecollectionsofthepast;Then,asasighescapedhisbreast,Thusspakethehermittohisguest.V.Thouseesthowfairasceneishere;Itseemsasif'twereplannedabove,Andfashionedfromsomehappiersphere,Tobethehomeofpeaceandlove.Yetman,toofondofstrife,todwellInmeekcontentment'scalmrepose,WillturnanEdentoahell,Andtriumphinhisbrother'swoes!Andpassion'slewdandlawlesshost,DelighttoraveandrevelmostWheregenerousNaturestampsandstrewsHerfairestforms,andbrightesthues:AndDiscordherehaslitherbrand,AndHatrednursedhersavagebrood,AndsternRevenge,withcrimsonhand,Mazelli,andOtherPoems5Haswrittenhisfouldeedsinblood.Butthosewholovedandsufferedthen,Havegivenplacetoothermen:Ofallwholive,tomealoneThestory,oftheirfateisknown;Giveheed,andIwilltellitthee,Tho'mournfulmustthestorybe.VI.Imindasif'twereyesterday,ThehourwhenfirstIstoodbesideThemarginofyonrushingtide,Andwatcheditswildwavesintheirplay;Theselocksthatnowarethinandgray,Thenclusteredthickanddarkasthine,Andfewhadstren