Bright star, would I were stedfast as thou art--- Not in lone splendour hung aloft the night And watching, with eternal lids apart, Like nature's patient, sleepless Eremite, The moving waters at their priestlike task Of pure ablution round earth's human shores, Or gazing on the new soft-fallen mask Of snow upon the mountains and the moors--- No---yet still stedfast, still unchangeable, Pillowed upon my fair love's ripening breast, To feel for ever its soft swell and fall, Awake for ever in a sweet unrest, Still, still to hear her tender-taken breath, And so live ever---or else swoon to death.
[00:03.43]Bright star, would I were stedfast as thou art--- [00:13.35]Not in lone splendour hung aloft the night [00:19.37]And watching, with eternal lids apart, [00:26.65]Like nature's patient, sleepless Eremite, [00:34.66]The moving waters at their priestlike task [00:38.60]Of pure ablution round earth's human shores, [00:42.55]Or gazing on the new soft-fallen mask [00:46.48]Of snow upon the mountains and the moors--- [00:53.33]No---yet still stedfast, still unchangeable, [01:02.29]Pillowed upon my fair love's ripening breast, [01:08.68]To feel for ever its soft swell and fall, [01:18.30]Awake for ever in a sweet unrest, [01:30.80]Still, still to hear her tender-taken breath, [01:36.97]And so live ever---or else swoon to death.
