Louis Esson

Here you will find the Poem Caprice of poet Louis Esson

Caprice

Blue and gold, and mist and sunlight, 
 Veils of colour blent and blown 
 In melodic monotone. 
Dark and bright, and white and dun light 
Clash and flash, as into one light 
 Trembling thro? an opal stone, 
Over green robes of the mountain 
 And the blue skirts of the sea, 
Spreading from a sacred fountain 
 Hymeneal harmony. 
 
Drums and trumpets of the ocean, 
 Oboe spirits of the wind, 
 Violins of forest kind, 
Flutes that breathe the trees? devotion, 
Blending, hymn the joyous motion 
 Of the universal mind, 
When, with chariot cavorting, 
 And a storm of symphonies, 
Horses snorting, banners sporting, 
 Ocean Seas wed Harbour Seas. 
 
Salt of waves, and scent of roses, 
 Seaweed strown along the sand, 
 Blossoms blown from high head-land, 
As the Ocean-Lord reposes 
Where the Harbour dreams and dozes, 
 Sultan and Sultana bland, 
Rocky shrubs, earth, fragrant grasses 
 Spiced with sand and sea and sun, 
As the gay procession passes, 
 Know that all things are but one. 
 
At the sun a wave laughs, leaping 
 Thro? intoxicating air 
 Like a child with tossing hair. 
But a sea-gull, vigil keeping 
Flutters, musically sweeping, 
 Delicate and debonair, 
Where the wave leaps, lightly wheeling, 
 Like a flash of amethyst 
Clasps the wave, then leaves her, stealing 
 Kisses by the sunshine kissed. 
 
Bird that brilliant pinion flies on 
 Thro? the azure atmosphere 
 Pipes a duet, sweet and clear, 
With the wind the sunlight lies on; 
Sea weds Sky on dim horizon, 
 And the distant joins the near. 
Wave and cloud, and fish and swallow, 
 Swaying tree and flying bird 
Music maddened, flee and follow 
 Till pale mortals, too, are stirred. 
 
Over all things Love stands warder. 
 Cloud seeks wave, while close behind 
 Cloud is followed by the wind. 
Dionysean disorder 
Laughs, and leaps o?er bar and border, 
 Breaks the shackles of the mind; 
And in wine-enchanted weather 
 Culls, that life and joy be one, 
Grapes to mix all things together 
 From the Garden of the Sun. 
 
Nature takes delight in shedding 
 Love that joins with benison 
 All the elements in one; 
And to-day the feast is spreading 
Till her creatures all are wedding, 
 And of sorrow there is none? 
So the Summer Day rehearses 
 Bridal lyrics mad to sing 
As a viol or a verse is, 
 Of the joy of everything.