 | Poems by John Howard Bryant |  |
30
THE EMIGRANT.
My native hills! far, far away,
Your tops in living green are bright;
And meadow, glade, and forest gray,
Bask in the long, long summer light;
And blossoms still are gaily set
By shaded fount and rivulet.
Your tops in living green are bright;
And meadow, glade, and forest gray,
Bask in the long, long summer light;
And blossoms still are gaily set
By shaded fount and rivulet.
Oh, that these feet again might tread
The slopes around my native home,
With grass and mingled blossoms spread;
Where cool the western breezes come;
To fan the fainting traveller's brow—
Alas! I almost feel them now.
The slopes around my native home,
With grass and mingled blossoms spread;
Where cool the western breezes come;
To fan the fainting traveller's brow—
Alas! I almost feel them now.
Would that my eyes again might see
Those planted fields and forests deep—
The tall grass waving like a sea—
The white flocks scattered o'er the steep—
The dashing brooks—and o'er them high
The clear vault of my native sky.
Those planted fields and forests deep—
The tall grass waving like a sea—
The white flocks scattered o'er the steep—
The dashing brooks—and o'er them high
The clear vault of my native sky.
31
Fair are the scenes that round me lie;
Bright shines the great earth-gladdening sun,
And sweetly crimsoned is the sky
At twilight, when the day is done;
And the same stars look down at even
That glittered in my native heaven.
Bright shines the great earth-gladdening sun,
And sweetly crimsoned is the sky
At twilight, when the day is done;
And the same stars look down at even
That glittered in my native heaven.
On wide savannahs, round me spread,
A thousand blossoms meet mine eye;
The red rose meekly bows its head,
As balmy winds go sweeping by;
And wild deer on the green bluffs play,
That rise in dimness far away.
A thousand blossoms meet mine eye;
The red rose meekly bows its head,
As balmy winds go sweeping by;
And wild deer on the green bluffs play,
That rise in dimness far away.
Majestic are these streams, that glide
O'ershadowed by continuous wood,
Save where the long glade opens wide,
Where erst the Indian hamlet stood;
But sweeter streams, with sweeter song,
In home's green valley dance along.
O'ershadowed by continuous wood,
Save where the long glade opens wide,
Where erst the Indian hamlet stood;
But sweeter streams, with sweeter song,
In home's green valley dance along.
And there, when summer's heaven is clear,
Sweet voices echo through the air;
For children's feet press softly near,
And joyous hearts are beating there;
While I, afar from home and rest,
Thread the vast rivers of the west.
Sweet voices echo through the air;
For children's feet press softly near,
And joyous hearts are beating there;
While I, afar from home and rest,
Thread the vast rivers of the west.
32
Oft, in my dreams, before me rise
Fair visions of those scenes so dear—
The cottage home, the vale, the skies,
And rippling murmurs greet mine ear,
Like sound of unseen brook, that falls
Through the long mine's unlighted halls.
Fair visions of those scenes so dear—
The cottage home, the vale, the skies,
And rippling murmurs greet mine ear,
Like sound of unseen brook, that falls
Through the long mine's unlighted halls.
As down the deep Ohio's stream
We glide before the whispering wind,
Though all is lovely as a dream,
My wandering thoughts still turn behind—
Turn to the loved, the blessed shore,
Where dwell the friends I meet no more.
We glide before the whispering wind,
Though all is lovely as a dream,
My wandering thoughts still turn behind—
Turn to the loved, the blessed shore,
Where dwell the friends I meet no more.
But were there here one heart to bless,
That beat in unison with mine—
One voice to cheer my loneliness,
(And that, my Laura, sure were thine)—
My thoughts should hardly turn again
To home's green hills and shady glen.
That beat in unison with mine—
One voice to cheer my loneliness,
(And that, my Laura, sure were thine)—
My thoughts should hardly turn again
To home's green hills and shady glen.
| Poems by John Howard Bryant | |