 | A little book of tribune verse |  |
198
TO EMMA ABBOTT.
Before thou camest, O creature fair,
The stars were diamonds in the sky,
Yet now, at night, ah, tell me why
I see no stellar diamonds there?
The stars were diamonds in the sky,
Yet now, at night, ah, tell me why
I see no stellar diamonds there?
Before thou camest the pretty trees
Coquetted with the gentle kiss
Of zephyrs; now they seem to miss
The dalliance of the amorous breeze.
Coquetted with the gentle kiss
Of zephyrs; now they seem to miss
The dalliance of the amorous breeze.
Before thou camest, the western sky
Was all aflame with golden light,
And now, I wot, perpetual night
Hath mantled o'er the realm on high.
Was all aflame with golden light,
And now, I wot, perpetual night
Hath mantled o'er the realm on high.
Before thou camest, on yonder hill
The lark sang sweetly to his mate;
And now, in vain we watch and wait
To see his flight and hear his trill.
The lark sang sweetly to his mate;
And now, in vain we watch and wait
To see his flight and hear his trill.
The stars are jealous of thine eyes,
The lark is jealous of thy song,
Thy glorious hair, so fair and long,
Hath waked the envy of the skies.
The lark is jealous of thy song,
Thy glorious hair, so fair and long,
Hath waked the envy of the skies.
199
The wanton zephyrs love to kiss
The rosy velvet of thy cheek,
And blushes play at hide and seek
With them, what ecstasy is this!
The rosy velvet of thy cheek,
And blushes play at hide and seek
With them, what ecstasy is this!
Ah, with the music of thy voice,
The wondrous beauty of thy grace,
Make this thy lasting living place,
Thy country's pride, our people's choice!
The wondrous beauty of thy grace,
Make this thy lasting living place,
Thy country's pride, our people's choice!
September 6th, 1881.
| A little book of tribune verse | |