IX. SÎTA.

     
     
          Three happy children in a darkened room!
    What do they gaze on with wide-open eyes?
    A dense, dense forest, where no sunbeam pries,
    And in its centre a cleared spot.—There bloom
    Gigantic flowers on creepers that embrace
    Tall trees; there, in a quiet lucid lake
    The white swans glide; there, “whirring from the brake,”
    The peacock springs; there, herds of wild deer race;
    There, patches gleam with yellow waving grain;
    There, blue smoke from strange altars rises light,
    There, dwells in peace, the poet-anchorite.
    But who is this fair lady? Not in vain
    She weeps,—for lo! at every tear she sheds
    Tears from three pairs of young eyes fall amain,
    And bowed in sorrow are the three young heads.
    It is an old, old story, and the lay
    Which has evoked sad Sîta from the past
    Is by a mother sung.... 'Tis hushed at last
    And melts the picture from their sight away,
    Yet shall they dream of it until the day!
    When shall those children by their mother's side
    Gather, ah me! as erst at eventide?
     
     

MISCELLANEOUS POEMS.