<div style="background:#fff;border:#bbb dashed 1px;padding:5px"><a href="http://en.citatepedia.ro/comments.php?id=359061" style="color:#000;text-decoration:none"><div style="margin:10px 0"><strong>Consalvo</strong></div><div style="margin:10px 0">Approaching now the end of his abode<br>On earth, Consalvo lay; complaining once,<br>Of his hard fate, but now quite reconciled,<br>When, in the midst of his fifth lustre, o'er<br>His head oblivion, so longed-for, hung.<br>As for some time, so, on his dying day,<br>He lay, abandoned by his dearest friends:<br>For in the world, few friends to _him_ will cling,<br>Who shows that he is weary of the world.<br>Yet _she_ was at his side, by pity led,<br>In his lone wretchedness to comfort him,<br>Who was alone and ever in his thought;<br>Elvira, for her loveliness renowned;<br>And knowing well her power; that a look,<br>A single sweet and gracious word from _her_,<br>A thousand-fold repeated in the heart,<br>Devoted, of her hapless lover, still<br>His consolation and support had been,<br>Although no word of love had she from him<br>E'er heard. For ever in his soul the power<br>Of great desire had been rebuked and crushed<br>By sovereign fear. So great a child and slave<br>Had he become, through his excess of love!<br>But death at last the cruel silence broke;<br>For being by sure signs convinced, that now<br>The day of his deliverance had come,<br>Her white hand taking, as she was about<br>To leave, and gently pressing it, he said:<br>'Thou goest; it is time for thee to go;<br>Farewell, Elvira! I shall never see<br>Thee more; too well I know it; so, farewell!<br>I thank thee for thy gentle sympathy,<br>So far as my poor lips my thanks can speak.<br>_He_ will reward thee, who alone has power,<br>If heaven e'er rewards the merciful.'<br>Pale turned the fair one at these words; a sigh<br>Her bosom heaved; for e'en a stranger's heart<br>A throb responsive feels, when she departs,<br>And says farewell forever. Fain would she<br>Have contradicted him, the near approach<br>Of fate concealing from the dying man.<br>But he, her thought anticipating, said:<br>'Ah, much desired, as well thou knowest, death,<br>Much prayed for, and not dreaded, comes to me;<br>Nay, joyful seems to me this fatal day,<br>Save for the thought of losing thee forever;<br>Alas, forever do I part from thee!<br>In saying this my heart is rent in twain.<br>Those eyes I shall no more behold, nor hear<br>Thy voice. But, O Elvira, say, before<br>Thou leavest me forever, wilt thou not<br>One kiss bestow? A single kiss, in all<br>My life? A favor asked, who can deny<br>Unto a dying man? Of the sweet gift<br>I ne'er can boast, so near my end, whose lips<br>To-day will by a stranger's hand be closed<br>Forever.' Saying this, with a deep sigh,<br>Her hand beloved he with his cold lips pressed.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">The lovely woman stood irresolute,<br>And thoughtful, for a moment, with her look,<br>In which a thousand charms were radiant,<br>Intent on that of the unhappy man,<br>Where the last tear was glittering. Nor would<br>Her heart permit her to refuse with scorn<br>His wish, and by refusal, make more sad<br>The sad farewell; but she compassion took<br>Upon his love, which she had known so long;<br>And that celestial face, that mouth, which he<br>So long had coveted, which had, for years,<br>The burden been of all his dreams and sighs,<br>Close bringing unto his, so sad and wan,<br>Discolored by his mortal agony,<br>Kiss after kiss, all goodness, with a look<br>Of deep compassion, on the trembling lips<br>Of the enraptured lover she impressed.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">What didst thou then become? How in thy eyes<br>Appeared life, death, and all thy suffering,<br>Consalvo, in thy flight now pausing? He<br>The hand, which still he held, of his beloved<br>Elvira, placing on his heart, whose last<br>Pulsations love with death was sharing, said:<br>'Elvira, my Elvira, am I still<br>On earth? Those lips, were they thy lips? O, say!<br>And do I press thy hand? Alas, it seems<br>A dead man's vision, or a dream, or thing<br>Incredible! How much, Elvira, O,<br>How much I owe to death! Long has my love<br>Been known to thee, and unto others, for<br>True love cannot be hidden on the earth.<br>Too manifest it was to thee, in looks,<br>In acts, in my unhappy countenance,<br>But never in my words. For then, and now,<br>Forever would the passion infinite,<br>That rules my heart, be silent, had not death<br>With courage filled it. I shall die content;<br>Henceforth, with destiny, no more regret<br>That I e'er saw the light. I have not lived<br>In vain, now that my lips have been allowed<br>Thy lips to press. Nay, happy I esteem<br>My lot. Two precious things the world still gives<br>To mortals, Love and Death. To one, heaven guides<br>Me now, in youth; and in the other, I<br>Am fortunate. Ah, hadst thou once, but once,<br>Responded to my long-enduring love,<br>To my changed eyes this earth for evermore<br>Had been transformed into a Paradise.<br>E'en to old age, detestable old age,<br>Could I have been resigned and reconciled.<br>To bear its heavy load, the memory<br>Of one transcendent moment had sufficed,<br>When I was happier than the happiest,<br>But, ah, such bliss supreme the envious gods<br>To earthly natures ne'er have given! Love<br>In such excess ne'er leads to happiness.<br>And yet, thy love to win, I would have borne<br>The tortures of the executioner;<br>Have faced the rack and fagot, dauntlessly;<br>Would from thy loving arms have rushed into<br>The fearful flames of hell, with cheerfulness.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'Elvira, O Elvira, happy he,<br>Beyond all mortal happiness, on whom<br>Thou dost the smile of love bestow! And next<br>Is he, who can lay down his life for thee!<br>It _is_ permitted, it is not a dream,<br>As I, alas, have always fancied it,<br>To man, on earth true happiness to find.<br>I knew it well, the day I looked on thee.<br>That look to me, indeed, has fatal been:<br>And yet, I could not bring myself, midst all<br>My sufferings, that cruel day to blame.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">'Now live, Elvira, happy, and adorn<br>The world with thy fair countenance. None e'er<br>Will love thee as I loved thee. Such a love<br>Will ne'er be seen on earth. How much, alas,<br>How long a time by poor Consalvo hast<br>Thou been with sighs and bitter tears invoked!<br>How, when I heard thy name, have I turned pale!<br>How have I trembled, and been sick at heart,<br>As timidly thy threshold I approached,<br>At that angelic voice, at sight of that<br>Fair brow, I, who now tremble not at death!<br>But breath and life no longer will respond<br>Unto the voice of love. The time has passed;<br>Nor can I e'er this happy day recall.<br>Farewell, Elvira! With its vital spark<br>Thy image so beloved is from my heart<br>Forever fading. Oh, farewell! If this,<br>My love offend thee not, to-morrow eve<br>One sigh wilt thou bestow upon my bier.'<br>He ceased; and soon he lost his consciousness:<br>Ere evening came, his first, his only day<br>Of happiness had faded from his sight.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br /></a><br />poem by <a href="http://en.citatepedia.ro/by.php?a=Count+Giacomo+Leopardi">Count Giacomo Leopardi</a><div class=q> <img src="https://www.citatepedia.ro/g/32share.png" style="float:left" alt="Share"> <script type="text/javascript" src="//s7.addthis.com/js/300/addthis_widget.js#pubid=citatepedia" async="async"></script><div style="display:inline-block" class="addthis_sharing_toolbox" data-url="http://en.citatepedia.ro/comments.php?id=359061" data-title="Consalvo de Count Giacomo Leopardi" data-description="Approaching now the end of his abode On earth, Consalvo lay; complaining once, Of his hard fate, but now quite reconciled, When, in the midst of his fifth lustre, o'er His head oblivion, so longed-for, hung. As for some time, so, on his dying day,..."></div> </div> </div>

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