 | Poems and Sonnets |  |
171
WHEN SUNS ARE BRIGHT.
When suns are bright,
And life's before you,
And breezes o'er you
Are floating light,
Nor miseries gnaw you,
And life's before you,
And breezes o'er you
Are floating light,
Nor miseries gnaw you,
Launch forth your bark,
And sail the seas,
Inhale the breeze,
Till dawn of dark
And nights that freeze;
And sail the seas,
Inhale the breeze,
Till dawn of dark
And nights that freeze;
172
Sing in the blue,
Like happy birds,
And leap as herds
Are wont to do
When morning girds
Like happy birds,
And leap as herds
Are wont to do
When morning girds
Her belt of beauty—
Soon to pass
Like gathered grass
Some hot hand's booty,
Or broken glass;
Soon to pass
Like gathered grass
Some hot hand's booty,
Or broken glass;
Love while you may,
It is not long
That lasts a song,
An hour of play,
A life of wrong,
It is not long
That lasts a song,
An hour of play,
A life of wrong,
A gaze in eyes,
A broken heart,
An æon's smart,
And shattered lies
Life's every part,
A broken heart,
An æon's smart,
And shattered lies
Life's every part,
173
A sigh, a kiss,
And all is gone
And hope is borne
On wings of bliss
To lands forlorn:
And all is gone
And hope is borne
On wings of bliss
To lands forlorn:
Where desert sands
Stretch dreary plains,
And flower of pains
Alone expands,
Alone remains!
Stretch dreary plains,
And flower of pains
Alone expands,
Alone remains!
Was this thing meant
For us to see
And not to flee,
When we were sent
Alive to be?
For us to see
And not to flee,
When we were sent
Alive to be?
That we should sigh
The livelong day,
And weep for play,
For gladness cry,
Nor wish to stay;
The livelong day,
And weep for play,
For gladness cry,
Nor wish to stay;
174
That we should love
The life of flowers,
And rose-hung bowers,
And clouds above,
And summer showers,
The life of flowers,
And rose-hung bowers,
And clouds above,
And summer showers,
And softest airs
Of twilight lands,
And lonely sands
Where Beauty fares,
And Mystery stands,
Of twilight lands,
And lonely sands
Where Beauty fares,
And Mystery stands,
And inland scenes,
And wealth of woods
With waving hoods
Of varied greens
That reach for roods,
And wealth of woods
With waving hoods
Of varied greens
That reach for roods,
And moors' expanse,
Where bells of heather
In windy weather
And fern-leaves dance
In joy together,
Where bells of heather
In windy weather
And fern-leaves dance
In joy together,
175
And sweeping hills,
Where winds are free
And kissed in glee
The leaping rills
The breezes flee—
Where winds are free
And kissed in glee
The leaping rills
The breezes flee—
I cannot tell
Why these are glad,
But we are sad—
Why we a hell,
These heaven had?
Why these are glad,
But we are sad—
Why we a hell,
These heaven had?
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