Earth's Voices Transcripts from Nature, Sospitra, and Other Poems. By William Sharp |
 |
|
| I. |
 | II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. | VII. SONGS OF THE WINDS. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIV. |
| XV. |
| XVI. |
| XVII. |
| XVIII. |
| XIX. |
| XX. |
| XXI. |
| XXII. |
| XXIII. |
| XXIV. |
| XXV. |
| XXVI. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 | Earth's Voices |  |
VII. SONGS OF THE WINDS.
1. The North Wind.
Across the Polar seas,
From where the frozen snow
Melts with no summer breeze
But lieth for ever so,
From where the frozen snow
Melts with no summer breeze
But lieth for ever so,
13
I come, with surging sound
And frozen rains that sting,
And lash the wintry ground
With furious wing.
And frozen rains that sting,
And lash the wintry ground
With furious wing.
But when 'tis summer weather
I cool the sun-scorch'd earth,
And chase the clouds together,
And laugh with joyous mirth.
I cool the sun-scorch'd earth,
And chase the clouds together,
And laugh with joyous mirth.
2. The East Wind.
Keen and relentless
My blasts sweep across
Where the Baltic billows
And North Seas toss;
My blasts sweep across
Where the Baltic billows
And North Seas toss;
Like bolts from the bow
In a tumult of war,
They rush and they strike
Wild coasts afar.
In a tumult of war,
They rush and they strike
Wild coasts afar.
And inland hurrying
They sweep and they swirl,
And the blossoms of spring
From the orchards whirl.
They sweep and they swirl,
And the blossoms of spring
From the orchards whirl.
And I laugh to hear
The moan of the trees,
And the sound and tumult
Of stormy seas.
The moan of the trees,
And the sound and tumult
Of stormy seas.
14
3. The West Wind.
I come from out the West,
And I breathe a breath of rest,
And the sweet birds greet me singing
From every tiny nest.
And I breathe a breath of rest,
And the sweet birds greet me singing
From every tiny nest.
I am the wind of flow'rs—
I haunt the wild-wood bow'rs—
And when my song is ringing
Spring knows her sweetest hours.
I haunt the wild-wood bow'rs—
And when my song is ringing
Spring knows her sweetest hours.
But when the autumn days
Grow short, I rise and race
Thro' all the woodlands, flinging
Strewn leaves o'er every place.
Grow short, I rise and race
Thro' all the woodlands, flinging
Strewn leaves o'er every place.
When winter comes once more,
With deep tumultuous roar
I sweep o'er ocean, bringing
Wild tempests to each shore.
With deep tumultuous roar
I sweep o'er ocean, bringing
Wild tempests to each shore.
4. The South Wind.
From burning deserts bare,
From tropic gardens where
Sweet blooms and spices rare
Make fragrant the warm air,
From tropic gardens where
Sweet blooms and spices rare
Make fragrant the warm air,
I come, and o'er the deep,
Where storm-winds no more sweep
But soft-aired breezes creep,
Summer I bear asleep.
Where storm-winds no more sweep
But soft-aired breezes creep,
Summer I bear asleep.
15
Sweet Summer! in her dreams
Her face is fair with gleams
Of thought of running streams,
Of flowers, and moonshine beams.
Her face is fair with gleams
Of thought of running streams,
Of flowers, and moonshine beams.
When I have reached the strand
I lay her on the sand
And blow away sleep's band—
Till, waking, through the land
I lay her on the sand
And blow away sleep's band—
Till, waking, through the land
She runs with eyes aglow
With joy where rivers flow,
Where myriad roses blow,
And leaves wave to and fro.
With joy where rivers flow,
Where myriad roses blow,
And leaves wave to and fro.
And after many days,
When o'er the brown burnt ways
That thirst 'neath the sun's rays
She cares no more to gaze,
When o'er the brown burnt ways
That thirst 'neath the sun's rays
She cares no more to gaze,
I carry her again
Back to her Southern plain—
And till spring comes again
I moan and rave in pain.
Back to her Southern plain—
And till spring comes again
I moan and rave in pain.
| Earth's Voices | |