 | Poems |  |
95
WINTER.
Earth in thy cold arms reposes,
Chilled her bosom's genial glow,
Crystals gleam where blossomed roses,
Violets long have ceased to blow;
In the bleak air moaning, wave
Leafless branches o'er their grave.
Chilled her bosom's genial glow,
Crystals gleam where blossomed roses,
Violets long have ceased to blow;
In the bleak air moaning, wave
Leafless branches o'er their grave.
Where the tufted maize once quivered,
And the vine-stalks lightly curled,
Every golden spear is shivered,
Every leafy banner furled;
All the fretted landscape shines
With the frost's enamelled lines.
And the vine-stalks lightly curled,
Every golden spear is shivered,
Every leafy banner furled;
All the fretted landscape shines
With the frost's enamelled lines.
Hushed the voice of singing fountains,
Woodland strains no longer flow,
And the pine-trees on the mountains,
Bend beneath their load of snow—
Like stern martyrs waiting doom,
Ready shrouded for the tomb.
Woodland strains no longer flow,
And the pine-trees on the mountains,
Bend beneath their load of snow—
Like stern martyrs waiting doom,
Ready shrouded for the tomb.
96
All the meadow's grassy billows,
Lie beneath an ermine shroud,
No green bank the moonbeam pillows,
When it glances through a cloud;
But the flying drifts look bright,
Sparkling in its silver light.
Lie beneath an ermine shroud,
No green bank the moonbeam pillows,
When it glances through a cloud;
But the flying drifts look bright,
Sparkling in its silver light.
Downy flakes like dove plumes stealing,
Stainless robes around have spread,
Earth, the charm of silence feeling,
Echoes not the muffled tread;
But the chafing breakers wail,
And wild dirges fill the gale.
Stainless robes around have spread,
Earth, the charm of silence feeling,
Echoes not the muffled tread;
But the chafing breakers wail,
And wild dirges fill the gale.
Stars with keener rays are beaming,
Through the still and frozen air,
On the ice-bound streamlets gleaming,
To illume their mute despair—
Heaven's lamps, whose lustre sweet
Glimmers on earth's winding sheet.
Through the still and frozen air,
On the ice-bound streamlets gleaming,
To illume their mute despair—
Heaven's lamps, whose lustre sweet
Glimmers on earth's winding sheet.
While all Nature, thus reposing,
Yields her charms to winter's sleep,
Let the soul, its buds disclosing,
Still a spring-like festal keep;
Bid Fancy glean her fruits divine,
And Love his summer garlands twine.
Yields her charms to winter's sleep,
Let the soul, its buds disclosing,
Still a spring-like festal keep;
Bid Fancy glean her fruits divine,
And Love his summer garlands twine.
| Poems | |