 | Judith, Esther, and other poems |  |
46
THE BUTTERFLY.
It was a calm midsummer even,
The moon in pensive smiles arrayed,
Beheld her beams that bright from heaven
On the faint heaving ocean played.
The moon in pensive smiles arrayed,
Beheld her beams that bright from heaven
On the faint heaving ocean played.
Impearled the dome at distance cresting
Fair Boston's heights with gentle ray,
Soft o'er the grassy islets resting,
That gem the bosom of her bay.
Fair Boston's heights with gentle ray,
Soft o'er the grassy islets resting,
That gem the bosom of her bay.
Half in the light like silver glowing
Each mazy shroud and towering mast
From her dark breast sweet music flowing
A gallant bark her shadow cast.
Each mazy shroud and towering mast
From her dark breast sweet music flowing
A gallant bark her shadow cast.
Lone in that bark a youth was sitting,
His eye was raised, a bright tear fell,
Light o'er his harp his hand was flitting
His lip apart.—Twas Adriel.
His eye was raised, a bright tear fell,
Light o'er his harp his hand was flitting
His lip apart.—Twas Adriel.
An open letter near was lying,
Warm with the kisses late imprest,
And lip, and soul, and heart were sighing
The song its writer loved the best.
Warm with the kisses late imprest,
And lip, and soul, and heart were sighing
The song its writer loved the best.
47
Upon the south's soft breathings thither
A restless butterfly was borne,
Languid he roamed, he cared not whither,
Now his loved roses all were gone.
A restless butterfly was borne,
Languid he roamed, he cared not whither,
Now his loved roses all were gone.
But, every reckless feeling chasing,
Such soul entrancing numbers float.—
'Twas Hope and Memory embracing,
That lent a spell to every note.
Such soul entrancing numbers float.—
'Twas Hope and Memory embracing,
That lent a spell to every note.
Fond Memory breathed of long past pleasure
With a wild sweetness all her own,
While wispered Hope, “the absent treasure
For her true minstrel sighs alone.”
With a wild sweetness all her own,
While wispered Hope, “the absent treasure
For her true minstrel sighs alone.”
Directed by his taper's beaming
Its thoughtless course the insect took,
Now fluttered in his ringlets gleaming,
Now panted on his music-book.
Its thoughtless course the insect took,
Now fluttered in his ringlets gleaming,
Now panted on his music-book.
Ah! how the pretty wanderer needed
Some pitying one to warn him! but,
While nothing but his bliss he heeded,
The cadence died, the book was shut.
Some pitying one to warn him! but,
While nothing but his bliss he heeded,
The cadence died, the book was shut.
His slender form, his mottled pinion
Mocking the toils of India's loom
Availed not: Pleasure's soft dominion
He fondly sought, and met his doom.
Mocking the toils of India's loom
Availed not: Pleasure's soft dominion
He fondly sought, and met his doom.
| Judith, Esther, and other poems | |