Love Letters in Verse To a Musician By Anna Comtesse de Bremont Love Letters in Verse To a Musician By ANNA COMTESSE de BREMONT V'l AUTHOR OF "sonnets AND LOVE POEMS," "SONNETS FROM A PARISIAN BALCONY," "THE WORLD OF MUSIC," "GREAT VIRTUOSI," ETC., ETC. D. APPLETON AND COMPANY NEW YORK AND LONDON MCMXIV Copyright, 1914, by D. Appleton and Company PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OP AMERICA tC JAN -8 1915 TO THUEL BURNHAM Whose Music inspired these Love Letters in Verse written in the secret Book of my Heart I dedicate these few leaves fragrant with the tender love of our twin souls of Music Foreword Y^/HEN the young artist to whom this little book of verses is dedicated first came to London to make his debut, he was fortunate in making the acquaintance of the Comtesse de Bremont — ^poet, singer, noveUst and composer — ^to whom his gifts became an inspiration, as Chopin's did to George Sand. The Comtesse wrote to this young "faun of Music" a httle letter in verse every day, from which those in the present brocheur are selected — ^tiny gems of sympathetic insight and appre- ciation, the tribute of one artistic soul to another. I A New Star ACROSS the path that marks the -^*^ milky way, A star of new-born splendour casts its ray. The wise men say it is too bright to last 'Tis but the Star-dust of a heavenly day. We know it is a young musician's soul, Seeking amid the shining worlds that roll Around the azure depths of God's foot- stool, The soul of Music as its earthly goal. 11 n The Musician T^HE gloom within the dim old Hall ^ took wing- When thou — sweet youth — didst make the key-board sing. In mellow tones and sweep of splendid chords, The Master's grand and matchless song — Erl-King! For thou hadst come to humbly bid for fame, A new Apostle in the Master's name, With light upon thy brow, fire in thy hands; The glorious creed of Music to proclaim! There, like some pure and radiant acolyte. With censor flaming to the Altar's height We followed thee unto sweet Music's shrine To seek the grace of Melody's delight. They came, the spirits of the Masters dead — To greet thee by the rites of Music led Beethoven — Schubert — ^Liszt and sad Chopin — To breathe a benediction on thy head! 12 Ill The Kiss of Melody TJE touched the keys— and Melody A ^ a-start Became a sentient thing — a singing part Of that which is, and all that might have been, In the unwritten score we call the heart. One melody woke to the other's bliss, And softly sighed in sweet amaze — ^what's this! The other answered in a rapturous chord — 'Tis that which mortals call a Lover's kiss. 13 IV His Face When playing Chopin's Nocturne I SAW the poet-soul shine thro' his face Framed in its lineaments of fleshly grace, While o'er it swept illusive shadows sad Like frozen fire within an opal vase. I watched the light of inspiration swell Till brow and eye like some translucent shell Revealed the strong young soul of genius there, A - glow with Music's passion - kindling spell. With joy I gazed into his burning eyes And watched Love's first bright flame tumultuous rise That to all other things his vision dimmed That he might see the wisdom of the Wise ! 14 V The SouVs Tribute to Music INTO the garden of sweet Harmony, ^ I sent my dearest Thought to cull for thee, Amid the tuneful maze a rose of song, That might a tribute to thy music be. And soon my Thought returned to me and said — The rose of Song sleeps in her garden bed- She will not wake save to the voice of Love, Whose golden quiver rests beneath her head. And then I sent my Soul to seek a flower. Amid the blossoms of her fairest bower, A pearl-like Lily in her hand she brought. Emblem of Music's pure ennobling power ! 15 VI The First Song TO thee, when first my heart's sweet song I sang, So deep the melody that trembUng sprang From Love's hps glorified by Love new- found, Thou didst not hear Love's minor-chord that rang ! 16 VII The Late Rose /^NE year ago we found an open gate, ^^ That showed a scented garden, where kind Fate A rose had planted many years ago That did not bloom less fair for blooming late. The rose its promise sweet fulfilled that night, x\nd tho' 'twas gathered at perfection's height. The perfume now outlives the perfect flower, And Ungers still in Memory's delight. 17 VIII His Touch APOLLO'S lute hath never sweeter -^"■^ sound Than those rich tones that hold our senses bound. When in his witching rhapsody of touch He wraps our souls with extasy around. 18 IX The Kiss CWEET is the kiss of Life's fulfilled de- ^^ sire. And sweet the kiss that kindles passion's fire; But more supremely sweet the last chaste kiss When two souls meeting on Love's lips expire ! 19 X Sympathy A S roses crave for clear life-giving dew, -^^^ And grapes dream of the wine-cup's ruddy hue — As night calls to the stars to light her way — Soul cries to soul for sympathy e'er true. For that keen, swift, intangible delight, That hath not touch, nor ear, nor taste, nor sight, The pulse and fever of Emotion's glow That fills the soul to sweet repletion's height ! For this the soul seeks, till a kindred one Springs from the Unawares, like burst of sun. To quicken in its warm effulgent rays The seed of Love in sympathy begun! 20 XI Companionship WHEN kindred hearts in tender con- ference meet. To cull the flowers in Music's garden sweet, And weave them into garlands of de- . light. To bind two souls in harmony complete. The silent comradeship of happy thought, The interchange of sympathy unsought, The giving for dear giving's sake alone That cannot be by selfish favour bought. 21 XII Reaction AS when the sun sinks in the gUttering west, And o'er the land the mists of twihght rest, So sinks my soul when I see Love de- part. And Loneliness remains my silent guest. 22 XIII He T^HE day is done — ^its rain and clouds ^ have passed, But in my heart the rain and clouds still last, Till he comes like the glory of the sun To banish skies in darkness overcast. He brings the hope of sympathy fulfilled, He will of clouds a Lover's castle build. E'en as the sun dyes all the skies in gold, With golden Love He will the hours gild. He is not that He seems — but that I miss, In all I have in life — summed up in this: He is perfection garbed imperfectly. Soul of a dream — dear shadow of a kiss! 23 XIV The Chain I SEND my thoughts in waving Unks of light, Across the town to chain thine inner sight, Within the spell that binds us soul to soul And makes us One thro' distance of the night. 24 XV Love's Perfection LOVE'S hand in mine all unresisting ^ lay* . 1 ij That I might lead Love m the old sweet way, Love's soul looked into mme with ten- der gaze Bespeaking that Love's mute lips wished to say. Love taught me Love's Perfection secret The rapture when two hearts together beat, , w T And I, in gratitude, revealed to Love, The gate where happiness and wisdom meet ! 25 XVI The Song T^TE filled with song's delight the Sum- ▼ ^ mer-day Until the silvery twilight led the way To starlit hours of Night's deep, sweet repose, Where still in dreams the soul of song held sway. Alas! that Summer-day so softly flown, Will ne'er return from shores of the Un- known, But in our hearts that song shall end- less bloom The sweetest flower in Memory's garden grown. 26 XVII The Letter THE Mercury of Morn in postman's guise, Who sheds his welcome missives as he flies, Dropt 'neath my roof-tree one that woke sad dreams, And blessed my day's first hour with glad surprise. For next to seeing thee 'tis writing thee That makes thine absence bearable to me, Words from thee are as sweet as words with thee, The fragrant words in Love's sweet treasury. 27 XVIII Reminiscenses TPHE words and thoughts by plastic brain enshrined, The unseen chains that Past and Present bind, The subtle perfume of a book-pressed rose, The casket with Love's dear, dead mis- sives lined. A chord of Music heard at twilight hour. The long dead message of a faded flower, The pictures wrought upon the inner eye. By Memory's brush of swift, mysterious power! 28 LIBRARY OF CONGRESS ■ 014 642 856 3