Italy : 39. The Fountain

It was a well Of whitest marble, white as from the quarry; And richly wrought with many a high relief, Greek sculpture -- in some earlier day perhaps A tomb, and honoured with a hero's ashes. The water from the rock filled and o'erflowed; Then dashed away, playing the prodigal, And soon was lost -- stealing unseen, unheard, Thro' the long grass, and round the twisted roots Of aged trees; discovering where it ran By the fresh verdure. Overcome with heat, I threw me down; admiring, as I lay, That shady nook, a singing-place for birds, That grove so intricate, so full of flowers, More than enough to please a child a-Maying. The sun had set, a distant convent-bell Ringing the Angelus; and now approached The hour for stir and village-gossip there, The hour Rebekah came, when from the well She drew with such alacrity to serve The stranger and his camels. Soon I heard Footsteps; and lo, descending by a path Trodden for ages, many a nymph appeared, Appeared and vanished, bearing on her head Her earthen pitcher. It called up the day Ulysses landed there; and long I gazed, Like one awaking in a distant time. At length there came the loveliest of them all, Her little brother dancing down before her; And ever as he spoke, which he did ever, Turning and looking up in warmth of heart And brotherly affection. Stopping there, She joined her rosy hands, and, filling them With the pure element, gave him to drink; And, while he quenched his thirst, standing on tip-toe, Looked down upon him with a sister's smile, Nor stirred till he had done, fixed as a statue. Then hadst thou seen them as they stood, Canova, Thou hadst endowed them with immortal youth; And they had ever more lived undivided, Winning all hearts -- of all thy works the fairest.