 | Lays of Melpomene |  |
THANKSGIVING ODE.
When young Time sung in Eden's bower,
And angels echoed back his strain,
Ere sin mildewed each morning flower
Of hope, and pleasure died in pain,
Each love-winged thought that rose on high
Was man's melodious prayer of praise,
And happy hearts threw o'er the sky
Blessings, as flowed the sun-waved days,
While Heaven benignly smiled and breathed the grateful lays.
And angels echoed back his strain,
Ere sin mildewed each morning flower
Of hope, and pleasure died in pain,
Each love-winged thought that rose on high
Was man's melodious prayer of praise,
And happy hearts threw o'er the sky
Blessings, as flowed the sun-waved days,
While Heaven benignly smiled and breathed the grateful lays.
41
No seasons, then, by power assigned,
Restricted songs of gratitude,
For man's pure heart and pious mind
Cherished no thoughts but those of good;
But, his high spirit higher soaring,
He knowledge bought, and was unblest;
And, when he should have been adoring,
Lost Eden—love's abode of rest,
And wandered forth o'er earth, an exile sore distrest.
Restricted songs of gratitude,
For man's pure heart and pious mind
Cherished no thoughts but those of good;
But, his high spirit higher soaring,
He knowledge bought, and was unblest;
And, when he should have been adoring,
Lost Eden—love's abode of rest,
And wandered forth o'er earth, an exile sore distrest.
There was a jubilee in Heaven,
When man to being sprung, and raised
His soul in praise for blessings given,
The image of the God he praised;
And there are songs of glory swelling
O'er Heaven, e'en in these sinning days,
When man laments his long-lost dwelling,
Yet for earth's joys chants hymns of praise,
And sings in Eden's speech, though lost to Eden's ways.
When man to being sprung, and raised
His soul in praise for blessings given,
The image of the God he praised;
And there are songs of glory swelling
O'er Heaven, e'en in these sinning days,
When man laments his long-lost dwelling,
Yet for earth's joys chants hymns of praise,
And sings in Eden's speech, though lost to Eden's ways.
For sunny skies and balmy showers,
And mellow airs, diffusing health,
And bloomy meads and dales of flowers,
And fields of beauty rise with wealth,
And verdured vales and wooded hills,
And Plenty smiling o'er each home,
Which rose-lipped Love with odour fills,
And sweet Content, who scorns to roam;
For blessings such as these, let glad Thanksgiving come.
And mellow airs, diffusing health,
And bloomy meads and dales of flowers,
And fields of beauty rise with wealth,
And verdured vales and wooded hills,
And Plenty smiling o'er each home,
Which rose-lipped Love with odour fills,
And sweet Content, who scorns to roam;
For blessings such as these, let glad Thanksgiving come.
No pestilence hath stalked abroad,
And thrown o'er bliss the funeral pall;
No sword of crime-avenging God
Hath marred man's toil-won festival;
His earthquake voice hath not been heard
Amid the cheerful mirth of life;
But his breeze-wafted smile hath stirred
Softly the groves with perfume rife,
And blessed again the man who flies soul-jarring strife.
And thrown o'er bliss the funeral pall;
No sword of crime-avenging God
Hath marred man's toil-won festival;
His earthquake voice hath not been heard
Amid the cheerful mirth of life;
But his breeze-wafted smile hath stirred
Softly the groves with perfume rife,
And blessed again the man who flies soul-jarring strife.
42
Pole-Star of Freedom's starry sky!
O Maine! fair daughter of the North!
Awake thy harp of melody,
And, holy Priestess, go thou forth
With voice of praise o'er Freedom's land,
And bid her happy sons revere
The memory of that hallowed band,
Who bowed to Heaven in forest drear,
And blessed the Almighty One, whose blessing dried each tear.
O Maine! fair daughter of the North!
Awake thy harp of melody,
And, holy Priestess, go thou forth
With voice of praise o'er Freedom's land,
And bid her happy sons revere
The memory of that hallowed band,
Who bowed to Heaven in forest drear,
And blessed the Almighty One, whose blessing dried each tear.
| Lays of Melpomene | |