With sombre mien, the Evening gray br Comes nagging at the heels of Day, br And driven faster and still faster br Before the dusky-mantled Master, br The light fades from her fearful eyes, br She hastens, stumbles, falls, and dies. br br Beside me Amaryllis weeps; br The swelling tears obscure the deeps br Of her dark eyes, as, mistily, br The rushing rain conceals the sea. br Here, lay my tuneless reed away,-- br I have no heart to tempt a lay. br br I scent the perfume of the rose br Which by my crystal fountain grows.