The Queen of l^ight 
 
 ] 
 
 FHEDEJ^IC M. SPOTSWOOD 
 
/ 
 
 \ 
 
THE QUEEN OE NIGHT 
 
 THE POET'S DREAM 
 
 FREDERIC M. SPOTS\^^OOD 
 
 /y 7 3 3 c 
 
 CINCINNATI 
 Press of Robert Clarke & Co. 
 
 1892 
 
 V'^^^\\ 
 
PS ^^"^^ 
 
 S5 
 
 Copyright, 
 
THE QUEEN OF NIGHT. 
 
 How sweet to watch the sea at night 
 
 All quiet and serene : 
 With never a ripple or a sound 
 
 To mar the peaceful scene. 
 When the moonbeams play at hide and seek 
 
 O'er the slumbering wave ; 
 When the hour is midnight, and the wind 
 
 Is silent as the grave. 
 
 On such a night, at such an hour, 
 
 I stood upon the shore ; 
 And sensations came upon me 
 
 I had never felt before. 
 I thought of days of olden time 
 
 When nymphs and naiads fair 
 Assembled on that very spot 
 
 Disporting in the air. 
 
4 THE QUEEN OF NIGHT. 
 
 III. 
 
 But hark ! what noise is that I hear ? 
 
 Surely not a breeze ; 
 Nor can it be the rustling 
 
 Of the leaves upon the trees. 
 Now, as I scan with eager eye 
 
 The surface of the sea, 
 I see afar a brilliant light 
 
 That nearer comes to me. 
 
 IV. 
 
 And now sweet music greets my ear. 
 
 Oh ! list, ye gods of night ; 
 It must be that of angel choir 
 
 Stayed in their heav'nly flight. 
 Far out upon the waters clear 
 
 A little bark I see ; 
 It swiftly skims the silent deep 
 
 Bearing straight to me. 
 
 No mortal tongue can ever tell 
 The rapture that was mine, 
 
 While listening to those thrilling notes 
 Of music so divine : 
 
THE QUEEN OF NIGHT. 
 
 The bark glides nearer to the shore 
 Deep silence reigns supreme ; 
 
 I can not move, I can not speak, 
 It surely is a dream. 
 
 And now a figure stands erect, 
 
 " Be still my trembling heart;" 
 Such beauty never lived on earth. 
 
 Of Heav'n it is a part. 
 Her heavy locks of golden hair 
 
 Are trailing at her feet ; 
 Her brilliant eyes of deepest blue 
 
 Mine try in vain to meet. 
 
 vir. 
 
 They glow and glisten like two stars, 
 
 They shed a fiery flame ; 
 For so much love and tenderness 
 
 Language knows no name. 
 Half parted lips of coral red 
 
 Reveal the rarest pearls ; 
 Two dimples nestle in her cheeks 
 
 Veiled by her golden curls. 
 
THE qup:en of night. 
 
 VIII. 
 
 Around her graceful form there hun| 
 
 A robe of white and gold; 
 A poet's dream of loveliness — 
 
 (And half has not been told). 
 A diadem of precious stones 
 
 Of wealth and beauty rare, 
 Shed all around a ray of light 
 
 Like sunshine in the air. 
 
 IX. 
 
 And on that crown upon her head 
 
 These words were written plain : 
 '' Isabel, Queen of the Night, 
 
 And of the sea, doth reign." 
 Around this queen of loveliness 
 
 Their beauty unsurpassed. 
 Were grouped six maidens who propelled 
 
 That bark, without a mast. 
 
 A snowy arm was raised on high 
 
 And all around was still ; 
 The Night Queen sang a song so sweet 
 
 My very soul did thrill ; 
 
THE QUEEN OF NKIHT. 
 
 It was the song that charmed me there 
 
 That night beside the sea ; 
 And as I think and dream of her 
 
 The words come back to me. 
 
 [So/igof the Night (liiccn.^ 
 
 There is some one seeking a lover, 
 
 Some one tender and true ; 
 Tho' kings of the sea round her hover 
 
 Some one has chosen you. 
 
 'Tis some one roaming the ocean 
 Some one Queen of the Night, 
 
 Who offers to you a pordon 
 Of aU her power and might. 
 
 Some one gives you a heart, 
 
 Some one lovely and bright ; 
 Oh say, are you ready to start. 
 
 To the home of the Queen of the Night ? 
 
 Some one is hoping and waiting, 
 
 Some one is longing for you ; 
 With love that knows no abating, 
 
 She watches you now with her crew. 
 
8 THE QUEEN OF NIGHT. 
 
 Some one will care for you ever, 
 Some one will love you alone ; 
 
 And nothing shall part us, no never, 
 When Isabel once is your own. 
 
 Some one has eyes that are beaming, 
 Some one has cheeks like the rose ; 
 
 Some one thinks he is dreaming ; 
 
 Does he love? Ah, somebody knows. 
 
 \CJionis of Sea Nymphs. \ 
 
 Some one is singing so sweetly 
 
 Some one is filled with delight; 
 Some one is vanquished completely 
 
 By Isabel, Queen of the Night. 
 Queen of the murmuring sea. 
 
 Beautiful goddess of night ; 
 And happy, so happy are we 
 
 ]]lio share her lin'c and her might. 
 
 A blissful thrill of pure delight 
 Suffused my trembling heart ; 
 
 And then I knew and felt the joy 
 Which first love can impart. 
 
THE QUEEN OF NIGHT. 
 
 I often thought and talked of love 
 
 So full of mystery ; 
 But Oh ! what happiness I found 
 
 In sweet reality. 
 
 XII. 
 
 I had no will or power to think, 
 
 I cried out in despair : 
 " Oh, leave me not thus, Isabel, 
 
 But take me anywhere, 
 For life itself away from thee 
 
 Is worse than death to me ; 
 My heart is thine, and thou art mine 
 
 Through all eternity." 
 
 XIII. 
 
 '' I can have no abiding place 
 
 Save in thee alone ; 
 Without thee all is darkness 
 
 Since thy eyes on me have shone. 
 Earth's creatures are but shadows now 
 
 To thee I fondly cling, 
 And I could give up life itself 
 
 If but to hear thee sing." 
 
lO THE QUEEN OF NIGHT. 
 
 XIV. 
 
 Earth seemed to wane and fade away 
 
 Just how I can not tell; 
 But thro' it all and every-where 
 
 I saw Queen Isabel. 
 A charming sense of listlessness 
 
 Pervaded all my being ; 
 When Heav'nly visions come, and then 
 
 Like shadows, swiftly fleeing, 
 
 XV. 
 
 Then helplessly I yielded 
 
 To some unseen fascination ; 
 And passively I closed my eyes 
 
 Devoid of animation. 
 And then I heard a low, sweet voice. 
 
 Given in command : 
 "Away, my maidens, out to sea, 
 
 Back to our native land.'' 
 
 XVI. 
 
 Now though I did not dare to move, 
 
 I opened wide my eyes ; 
 And what I saw around me 
 
 Filled my heart with glad surprise. 
 
THE gUEEN OF NKIHT. II 
 
 I lay on bed of roses 
 
 Of every tint and clime ; 
 
 And all I saw was wonderful 
 In beauty and design. 
 
 XYII. 
 
 There sat on either side of me 
 
 Three maidens clothed in white ; 
 There was another at my feet 
 
 She was the Queen of Night. 
 Each wore a wreath of rarest flowers 
 
 Whereon was written plain, 
 In letters made of precious stones, 
 
 Her station and her name. 
 
 XVIII. 
 
 Marguerite was tall and very fair. 
 
 Her eyes were grayish blue ; 
 She looked so coy, so innocent, 
 
 I thought " her heart is true." 
 I longed to have her for my friend, 
 
 And I decided there 
 That she should be my confidant 
 
 And everv secret share. 
 
12 THE QUEEN OF NKiHT. 
 
 XIX. 
 
 And Eleanore, whose love-lit eyes 
 
 And far-off pensive gaze, 
 Filled my heart with longing 
 
 And with thoughts of happy days. 
 Her heart seemed in the distance 
 
 And she breathed a gentle sigh ; 
 For her I felt compassion 
 
 As she watched the moon-lit sky. 
 
 XX. 
 
 Lucille was small and dainty, 
 
 And her merry laugh was heard 
 Above the rippling waters 
 
 Like the singing of a bird. 
 I said, " She's fair to look upon, 
 
 But what is that to me? 
 For I can never be a friend 
 
 To such frivolity." 
 
 XXI. 
 
 Viola was full of grace, 
 Her raven locks did hang 
 
 Over shoulders white as snow 
 And Oh, how sweet she sang. 
 
THE QUEEN OF NIGHT. 1 3 
 
 A winning smile lit up her face ; 
 
 I said, " How sweet and fair, 
 It is not difficult to see 
 
 That modesty is there." 
 
 XXII. 
 
 Amelia, although beautiful. 
 
 Was not what I would deem 
 An ideal of true womanhood 
 
 Or of a poet's dream ; 
 Her eyes were bright and sparkling. 
 
 But with coldness and disdain ; 
 "A heartless flirt," I sadly sighed. 
 
 There, love can never reign. 
 
 XXIII. 
 
 Olivia, Oh, I long to tell 
 
 What words can not express ; 
 The love that beamed within her eye 
 
 Proclaimed her tenderness. 
 And Grecian pen could not portray 
 
 Such beauty and such grace ; 
 Her smile would shame the sun's bright ray — 
 
 She had a heavenly face. 
 
THE QUEEN OF NIGHT 
 
 XXIV. 
 
 Her voice was like the lullaby 
 
 Of night, so full of ease ; 
 It seemed to be the echo 
 
 Of a gentle summer breeze. 
 " Olivia, will sing to us, 
 
 Said Isabel, the Queen ;" 
 And stranger, hearken to her song, 
 
 'T is called '" A Poet's Dream." 
 
 [0/rc'ia .SV//^^.s-.] 
 
 Away ye phantoms of the night 
 
 That mar my dream of love so bright ; 
 
 I will not think of broken vow, 
 
 'T is but a vision anyhow. 
 
 For while he held my hand so fair 
 
 He said, "By all the gods, I swear 
 
 Through life and through eternity 
 
 I will be true to thee." 
 
 Oh, star, shine brightly from above 
 Upon my absent wand'ring love ; 
 Nor ever let him sorrow know 
 Nor feel the touch of cruel woe. 
 Always on his pathway shine 
 For I was his and he was mine. 
 
THE gUEEN OF NIGHT. 1 5 
 
 And I shall never know repose 
 Till on his cheek I see the rose ; 
 Which faded as he said " farewell"— 
 That word which as a funeral knell 
 Brought grief and anguish to my heart 
 Which never, never shall depart. 
 
 While gazing at the pale moon's beam 
 Or at the star's bright silver sheen ; 
 My longing heart does yearn in vain 
 To hear his words of love again. 
 The gentle sigh of evening breeze 
 Is sweet to lovers 'neath the trees ; 
 But ah, what agony to me, 
 For it recalls what used to be 1 
 
 He saw a fairer one than I, 
 
 He loved her and left me to die ; 
 
 Ah, fickle man! Ah, cruel heart! 
 
 Do recollections never start 
 
 Of one who loved and trusted you ? 
 
 To whom you vowed you would be true ? 
 
 Yet think not I would have thee near 
 
 While others are to thee more dear. 
 
 I think of thee and sadly sigh. 
 
 And Oh, I long for days gone by. 
 
1 6 THE QUEEN OF NIGHT. 
 
 XXV. 
 
 If I admired Olivia, 
 
 Before I heard her voice; 
 I now knew I could w^orship her 
 
 And that she was my choice. 
 That voice so full of sympathy 
 
 Brought tears into my eyes ; 
 Her gaze w^as fixed upon me 
 
 And I heard responsive sighs. 
 
 XXVI. 
 
 Just then I looked at Isabel, 
 
 The lovely Queen of Night ; 
 Her violet eyes were beaming 
 
 With a tender, happy light. 
 She said, " We'll take our captive 
 
 To a land where he shall be 
 The courted of our maidens. 
 
 And the theme of minstrelsy." 
 
 xxvii. 
 
 So there he shall abide with us. 
 And, if he stand the test, 
 
 Then he shall take unto himself 
 The one he loves the best. 
 
THE QUEEN OF NIGHT. 1 7 
 
 But if like others heretofore 
 He knows not whom to choose, 
 
 Then he returns from whence he came, 
 Forever a recluse. 
 
 XXVIII. 
 
 And now borne on the evening breeze 
 
 Comes music soft and clear ; 
 'T is lute and harp in sweet accord, 
 
 It must be very near. 
 The bark glides swifdy to a bank, 
 
 But once again I find 
 That I am helpless as at first 
 
 In body and in mind. 
 
 XXIX. 
 
 I fell into a slumber sweet, 
 
 I dreamed of Isabel ; 
 And then I saw Olivia 
 
 In a lonely mountain dell. 
 I thought I heard her whisper, 
 
 Her voice was sweet and clear ; 
 ' ' How very happy I should be 
 
 If he were always near." 
 
1 8 THE QUEEN OF NIGHT. 
 
 XXX. 
 
 Aroused from sleep and startled 
 
 I sprang up from the ground ; 
 For quite a while I could not think 
 
 But wildly looked around. 
 Then gradually came back to me 
 
 Remembrance of the past; 
 And then I sighed, " It was a dream 
 
 Which was too sweet to last." 
 
 XXXI. 
 
 But doubts and fears were soon dispelled, 
 
 For as I looked around 
 I saw I was a captive. 
 
 And my hands were fetter bound. 
 Such a prison ! Such a chain 1 
 
 Were never seen before, 
 And I smiled wath satisfaction 
 
 As I watched my prison door. 
 
 XXXII. 
 
 In rich profusion every-where 
 Were scattered rarest flowers ; 
 
 And all the air seemed laden 
 With delicious fragrant showers. 
 
THE QUEEN OF NKIHI'. 1 9 
 
 Hie lilac and the locust bloom 
 
 Entwined my wrists around ; 
 With eager expectation 
 
 I waited for a sound. 
 
 XXXIII. 
 
 I had not very long to wait, 
 
 For soon I heard a voice ; 
 It brought me sweetest ecstacy 
 
 And made my heart rejoice. 
 "Bring the prisoner forth," it said, 
 
 We can not long delay ; 
 His trial must be over 
 
 Before the dawn of dav. 
 
 xxxiv. 
 
 Ere I could realize the truth 
 
 My eyes were bandaged tight ; 
 And I was hurriedly led out 
 
 Before the Queen of Night. 
 Excitement reached its highest pitch, 
 
 And yet I had no fear ; 
 For tho' 't was strange, I felt secure 
 
 When Isabel was near. 
 
THE QUEKN OF NI(;HT 
 
 XXXV 
 
 Then came in accents sweet and low 
 
 The voice I loved to hear ; 
 It brought me comfort, peace and hope, 
 
 'T was music to my ear. 
 "Sir Poet, you are standing now 
 
 Before the Queen of Night ; 
 On either side are twenty maids 
 
 Who watch you with delight.'* 
 
 XXX VI. 
 
 "Now, when you are at liberty, 
 
 Look well to either side ; 
 And choose the one that you jjrefer 
 
 To be your future bride. 
 Not one of them will you refuse 
 
 Not even Isabel, 
 And if you choose Jicr from you.r heart 
 
 She'll always love you well.'' 
 
 XXXVII. 
 
 I thought my choice was surely made, 
 
 That Isabel would be 
 The one to light my path through life 
 
 To share my destiny. 
 
THE OUF.EN OF NIGHl' 
 
 And visions of a happy home 
 
 Where love should reign supreme, 
 
 Filled my heart with ecstacy^ — 
 Life seemed a blissful dream. 
 
 XXXVIII. 
 
 The sighing of the evening breeze 
 
 Was sweet, so sweet to me ; 
 Just then the veil was lifted 
 
 And again my eyes could see. 
 I will not now describe the sight, 
 
 I could not if I would ; 
 Comjjletely charmed I looked around 
 
 As speechless there I stood. 
 
 XXXIX. 
 
 Two lines of twenty maidens each 
 
 Were standing on the green ; 
 Each faced the other and I knew 
 
 That I must go between. 
 One minute's time to each of them 
 
 In which if I should feel 
 That she was all my heart's desire, 
 
 To that one, I should kneel. 
 
22 THE QUEEN OF NIGHT. 
 
 XL. 
 
 'T is said by some that mortal tongue 
 
 Was never made to give 
 Expression to the sentiment 
 
 Which in the heart doth Hve. 
 So I will not attempt it, 
 
 For time and space are brief; 
 And with the thought, what might have been, 
 
 Comes the deepest grief. 
 
 XLI. 
 
 I started down the narrow space 
 
 With faltering step and heart ; 
 And then I knew that after all 
 
 Mine was no easy part. 
 For though my gaze was fixed upon 
 
 The lovely Queen of Night, 
 I felt that other eyes were there 
 
 Equally as bright. 
 
 XLII. 
 
 To Isabel, I came at last, 
 I could not speak with ease ; 
 
 Indeed my heart was in my throat, 
 I fell ujion my knees. 
 
THE QUEEN OF NIGHT. 
 
 "Queen of the Night," I murmured, 
 ''And of the boundless sea, 
 
 Wherever I may wander 
 I will remember thee." 
 
 XLIII. 
 
 ." I know not why or how you^bring 
 
 Such joy into my heart ; 
 I only know that of this life 
 
 You are my better part '' 
 "Turn to the left," quoth Isabel, 
 
 "Your time with me expires — 
 One other yet remains to see. 
 
 Who all your love desires. '^ 
 
 I turned, and Oh, my heart did sink, 
 
 For beautiful and fair, 
 Olivia stood and looked at me 
 
 The picture of despair. 
 "Olivia," I cried in grief, 
 
 ".Forgive me, I am thine. 
 And every hope and joy in life 
 
 For thee I will resign." 
 
24 THE QUEEN OF NIGHT. 
 
 XLV. 
 
 Her dreamy eyes were bright with love 
 
 She shook her head and wept ; 
 Ah, could I break this trusting heart 
 
 For me, so fondly kept ? 
 And then in words of stern command 
 
 Spoke Isabel, the queen, 
 ''Double hearted flatterer 
 
 Your like w^as never seen.'' 
 
 XLVI. 
 
 " Youll never know the happiness 
 
 Which sweet contentment brings ; 
 For you are vain and fickle 
 
 And you wish for better things. 
 You talk and write of woman's love. 
 
 We thought you were sincere ; 
 But you prove yourself unworthy 
 
 And you must not linger here." 
 
 XLVII. 
 
 I know that I can never speak 
 
 The anguish of my heart, 
 AMien in scorn and proud disdain 
 
 She bade me to depart. 
 
THE QUEEN OF NIOHT. 
 
 Olivia, was lost to me, 
 
 The Queen of Night as well ; 
 The misery that filled my soul 
 
 No words of mine can tell. 
 
 XLVIII. 
 
 What happened next, I can not say 
 
 All was a blank to me ;" 
 When I awoke to consciousness 
 
 I lay beside the sea. 
 I gazed out at the wat'ry waste. 
 
 And fading from my sight 
 Was the bark that brought to me 
 
 The lovely Queen of Night. 
 
 XLIX. 
 
 And now, by the sad sea w^ave 
 
 I languish all alone ; 
 And for my pride and folly 
 
 I never can atone. 
 And often at the midnight hour 
 
 I watch upon the shore ; 
 My heart longs for Olivia, 
 
 But a voice says, "Nevermore.'' 
 
26 THE QUEEN OF NIGHT. 
 
 L. 
 
 I see her now in visions lone 
 
 With her dark flashing eye ; 
 In dreams I see her smile so sweet 
 
 And hear her pensive sigh. 
 I linger yet beside the sea, 
 
 Hoping, but in vain — 
 Olivia, nor Isabel, 
 
 Will ever come again. 
 
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