Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
Rome Unvisited (Author: Oscar Wilde)

p.71

I

  1. 1] THE corn has turned from grey to red,
    2] Since first my spirit wandered forth
    3] From the drear cities of the north,
    4] And to Italia's mountains fled.
  2. 5] And here I set my face towards home,
    6] For all my pilgrimage is done,
    7] Although, methinks, yon blood-red sun
    8] Marshals the way to Holy Rome.
  3. 9] O Blessed Lady, who dost hold
    10] Upon the seven hills thy reign!
    11] O Mother without blot or stain,
    12] Crowned with bright crowns of triple gold!

  4. p.72

  5. 13] O Roma, Roma, at thy feet
    14] I lay this barren gift of song!
    15] For, ah! the way is steep and long
    16] That leads unto thy sacred street.

p.73

II

  1. 17] And yet what joy it were for me
    18] To turn my feet unto the south,
    19] And journeying towards the Tiber mouth
    20] To kneel again at Fiesole!
  2. 21] And wandering through the tangled pines
    22] That break the gold of Arno's stream,
    23] To see the purple mist and gleam
    24] Of morning on the Apennines.
  3. 25] By many a vineyard-hidden home,
    26] Orchard and olive-garden grey,
    27] Till from the drear Campagna's way
    28] The seven hills bear up the dome!

p.74

III

  1. 29] A PILGRIM from the northern seas—
    30] What joy for me to seek alone
    31] The wondrous Temple, and the throne
    32] Of him who holds the awful keys!
  2. 33] When, bright with purple and with gold,
    34] Come priest and holy cardinal,
    35] And borne above the heads of all
    36] The gentle Shepherd of the Fold.
  3. 37] O joy to see before I die
    38] The only God-anointed king,
    39] And hear the silver trumpets ring
    40] A triumph as he passes by!

  4. p.75

  5. 41] Or at the brazen-pillared shrine
    42] Holds high the mystic sacrifice,
    43] And shows his God to human eyes
    44] Beneath the veil of bread and wine.

p.76

IV

  1. 45] FOR lo, what changes time can bring!
    46] The cycles of revolving years
    47] May free my heart from all its fears,
    48] And teach my lips a song to sing.
  2. 49] Before yon field of trembling gold
    50] Is garnered into dusty sheaves,
    51] Or ere the autumn's scarlet leaves
    52] Flutter as birds adown the wold,
  3. 53] I may have run the glorious race,
    54] And caught the torch while yet aflame,
    55] And called upon the holy name
    56] Of Him who now doth hide His face.
  4. ARONA