By Luis G. Dato
Most gracious queen,
My eyes have seen
In other days what men call fair;
The face divine
That warms like wine,
And urges men to strive and dare.
In very truth,
What could to youth,
Be fairer than the morning star?
To you, queen fair,
Could it compare,
That is so lifeless, cold and far?
The rose, you say?
But with the day,
The dearest of them fall and fade
While you, my sweet, At whose fair feet,
Youth sings eternal serenade.
Shall all the while,
With one rare smile
Or look bid time itself stand still;
Your merest glance
Is soul romance
Which all eternity shall fill.
The glorious dawn
Across the lawn,
Seems like the region of the blest,
What purer sight
Than the twilight
Seen smiling from the distant west.
And yet, alas,
They also pass
So soon to common day or night,
Whereas, my dear,
You need not fear,
That similar shall be your plight.
Of you, I deem,
‘Tis sweet to dream
Of days and worlds more fair than this;
And be it brief,
And come to grief,
To dream of you is Heaven’s kiss.
For long as we
Have eyes to see,
And hearts that answer to your eyes,
Your reign will live
And time survive
When the last star leaves Paradise.
And you unknown,
That now would crown
And lay your laurel on a queen,
Your face gives cause
For me to pause
And sigh vain sighs my words between.
For, who will seeing This radiant being,
It seems from some far star descended
Will wonder pot
What poet’s thought
Had earth and sky more deftly blended?
Who seeing her,
Will not recur
To dreams and the imagination?
I envy none
Except the crown
She holds.
Would I were in its station!
Town with a lake ,
I bid you wake,
And hear afar our nation calling;
To higher things
With purer wings
Aspire, while idols false are falling.
Our heroes great
A fairer fate
Envisioned in the yester-time,
But evil days
And wicked ways
Our land turned to a den of crime.
Then, Queen, behold,
Your subjects bold,
The youth inspire to higher deeds!
For lo! the times
Need you betimes
In fangs of ill our country bleeds!
May then your beauty
Awake to duty
Those that the public trust betray,
And thus increase
The reign of peace,
Your subjects bless your name alway.
