The Reliquary By Bernard and Lucy Barton. With A Prefatory Appeal for Poetry and Poets |
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| I. |
| II. |
A WELCOME HOME. |
 | The Reliquary |  |
56
A WELCOME HOME.
TO E. H.
Welcome to our hearts again
From the breezy sea's domain!
Where the boundless billowy deep
Round the land her watch doth keep,
Where the stormy waves dash high,
Where is heard the sea-bird's cry,
Where the petrel finds a pillow
On the crested bounding billow;
Where the sunny sail doth glide
Lightly o'er the foaming tide,
Where each graceful curling wave
With rainbow tints the sand doth lave,
Where all creatures fair and bright
Find home beneath the billows white;
Where the blue sea girts our Isle,
Thou hast been this weary while.
Then welcome to our hearts again
From the breezy sea's domain!
Welcome to our inland bowers,
Shady lanes and wayside flowers;
But see the field hath lost her store,
And Autumn is at hand once more;
Her golden tints will soon appear,
Bright heralds of the fading year.
—Methinks dear friend 'tis ever thus
Each parting joy seems dear to us.
And hark! a shiv'ring blast is heard,
And restless seems each forest-bird,
Some meet within their skiey dome—
Depart, and find a brighter home;
Impell'd to seek by instinct's spell
A land where sunbeams ever dwell:
Emblem, methinks, of hearts that prove
In wintry weather apt to rove.
From the breezy sea's domain!
Where the boundless billowy deep
Round the land her watch doth keep,
Where the stormy waves dash high,
Where is heard the sea-bird's cry,
Where the petrel finds a pillow
On the crested bounding billow;
Where the sunny sail doth glide
Lightly o'er the foaming tide,
Where each graceful curling wave
With rainbow tints the sand doth lave,
Where all creatures fair and bright
Find home beneath the billows white;
Where the blue sea girts our Isle,
Thou hast been this weary while.
Then welcome to our hearts again
From the breezy sea's domain!
57
Shady lanes and wayside flowers;
But see the field hath lost her store,
And Autumn is at hand once more;
Her golden tints will soon appear,
Bright heralds of the fading year.
—Methinks dear friend 'tis ever thus
Each parting joy seems dear to us.
And hark! a shiv'ring blast is heard,
And restless seems each forest-bird,
Some meet within their skiey dome—
Depart, and find a brighter home;
Impell'd to seek by instinct's spell
A land where sunbeams ever dwell:
Emblem, methinks, of hearts that prove
In wintry weather apt to rove.
But not with aught allied to pain
We welcome Winter's hoary reign.
In Spring we love each day to trace
The dawning charms of Nature's grace;
When Summer skies are o'er us spread,
When by leafy bowers we're canopied,
Oh then the eye oft loves to rest
On the soft deep blue of her azure breast.
But yet to my heart there is a spell
In the fitful breezes' fall and swell,
Which tells, 'mid Autumn's farewell flowers,
Of the quiet joy of fireside hours.
We roam abroad in sunny weather,
But Winter draws our hearts together.
We welcome Winter's hoary reign.
In Spring we love each day to trace
The dawning charms of Nature's grace;
When Summer skies are o'er us spread,
When by leafy bowers we're canopied,
Oh then the eye oft loves to rest
On the soft deep blue of her azure breast.
58
In the fitful breezes' fall and swell,
Which tells, 'mid Autumn's farewell flowers,
Of the quiet joy of fireside hours.
We roam abroad in sunny weather,
But Winter draws our hearts together.
Dear are the joys which Nature yields
In forest, fell, or waving fields:
She soothes the heart in moonlight hour,
Not less in sunset's glow her power:
At early dawn fresh clad in light
She bursts in beauty on our sight;
And noon-day sunbeam's dazzling sheen
Is sweet beneath some leafy screen.
But human hearts will ever seek
Joys which a kindred tongue can speak:
Thus, from fair Nature's bright array
We often turn untouch'd away,
To seek 'mid hearts of human kind
Communion with some fellow-mind:
And He who gave the spirit's tone
His love and wisdom here hath shown.
For notes there are in every breast
By our own fingers never prest,
Which start to life when friendship's hand
Runs o'er the chords her magic wand!
And hence your absence I deplore,
And gladly hail your visit o'er.
Then welcome to our hearts again,
From the breezy sea's domain!
In forest, fell, or waving fields:
She soothes the heart in moonlight hour,
Not less in sunset's glow her power:
At early dawn fresh clad in light
She bursts in beauty on our sight;
And noon-day sunbeam's dazzling sheen
Is sweet beneath some leafy screen.
But human hearts will ever seek
Joys which a kindred tongue can speak:
Thus, from fair Nature's bright array
We often turn untouch'd away,
To seek 'mid hearts of human kind
Communion with some fellow-mind:
And He who gave the spirit's tone
His love and wisdom here hath shown.
For notes there are in every breast
By our own fingers never prest,
59
Runs o'er the chords her magic wand!
And hence your absence I deplore,
And gladly hail your visit o'er.
Then welcome to our hearts again,
From the breezy sea's domain!
| The Reliquary | |