ODE TO MELANCHOLY

ODE TO MELANCHOLY

  

 No, no, go not to Lethe, neither twist

Wolf's-bane, tight-rooted, for its poisonous wine; 

Nor suffer thy pale forehead to be kiss'd

By nightshade, ruby grape of Proserpine; 

Make not your rosary of yew-berries, 

Nor let the beetle, nor the death-moth be

Your mournful Psyche, nor the downy owl

A partner in your sorrow's mysteries; 

For shade to shade will come too drowsily, 

And drown the wakeful anguish of the soul.

But when the melancholy fit shall fall

Sudden from heaven like a weeping cloud, 

That fosters the droop-headed flowers all, 

And hides the green hill in an April shroud; 

Then glut thy sorrow on a morning rose, 

Or on the rainbow of the salt sand-wave, 

Or on the wealth of globed peonies; 

Or if thy mistress some rich anger shows, 

Emprison her soft hand, and let her rave, 

And feed deep, deep upon her peerless eyes.

She dwells with Beauty--Beauty that must die; 

And Joy, whose hand is ever at his lips

Bidding adieu; and aching Pleasure nigh, 

Turning to poison while the bee-mouth sips: 

Ay, in the very temple of Delight

Veil'd Melancholy has her sovran shrine, 

Though seen of none save him whose strenuous tongue

Can burst Joy's grape against his palate fine; 

His soul shalt taste the sadness of her might, 

And be among her cloudy trophies hung.

                by John Keats