 | Beads from a Rosary |  |
62
TO MY PARLOUR FIRE.
Fire, that flamest high and free,
Fire, that laughest joyously,
I would fain, this surly weather,
Sing a song of praise to thee.
Fire, that laughest joyously,
I would fain, this surly weather,
Sing a song of praise to thee.
Hark! the pattering of the rain,
On the misty window pane—
Lo! the storm frowns in upon us,
Wroth to find his fury vain.
On the misty window pane—
Lo! the storm frowns in upon us,
Wroth to find his fury vain.
Brighter grows thy blaze; more high
Leap thy flames in mockery,—
Ho! fierce wind, thou empty boaster,
Look on us, and howling, die.
Leap thy flames in mockery,—
Ho! fierce wind, thou empty boaster,
Look on us, and howling, die.
63
Every corner of the room
Doth thy ruddy light illume;
We will burn no mimic taper—
Thou alone shalt quell the gloom.
Doth thy ruddy light illume;
We will burn no mimic taper—
Thou alone shalt quell the gloom.
And to give thee warmer glee,
Sparkling coal, I'll heap on thee—
Crackling wood, and coal together,
And I'll feed thee daintily.
Sparkling coal, I'll heap on thee—
Crackling wood, and coal together,
And I'll feed thee daintily.
Redder grows thy blaze—more high
Leaps thy flame triumphantly;—
Roar thy worst, rough-visaged weather,
Hear us laugh more merrily!
Leaps thy flame triumphantly;—
Roar thy worst, rough-visaged weather,
Hear us laugh more merrily!
See, the pictures on the wall,
Smile upon us, one and all;
Sudden smiles, that beam and brighten,
Whensoe'er thy flashes fall.
Smile upon us, one and all;
Sudden smiles, that beam and brighten,
Whensoe'er thy flashes fall.
64
And the dusty tomes, that lie
On their creaking shelves on high,
Wear again their olden splendour,
Gilded by thine alchemy.
On their creaking shelves on high,
Wear again their olden splendour,
Gilded by thine alchemy.
Things that looked, the livelong day,
Dark and dull, now fresh and gay,
Greet us with an altered aspect,
Gladdened by thy glowing ray.
Dark and dull, now fresh and gay,
Greet us with an altered aspect,
Gladdened by thy glowing ray.
Well I wot, old Friend, 'twould be
Weary search o'er land and sea,
Blyther faces to discover,
Or a jollier pair than we.
Weary search o'er land and sea,
Blyther faces to discover,
Or a jollier pair than we.
Now, with willing hand, I pour
From this flask, of richest store,
Bright libations in thine honour,
And I pledge thee, o'er and o'er.
From this flask, of richest store,
Bright libations in thine honour,
And I pledge thee, o'er and o'er.
65
And I say, right freely now,
With thy light upon my brow,
Never yet had man a truer,
Or a warmer friend than thou.
With thy light upon my brow,
Never yet had man a truer,
Or a warmer friend than thou.
Ha! more fervent grows thy glee,
As again I heap on thee,
Crackling wood and coal together,
And thou feedest daintily.
As again I heap on thee,
Crackling wood and coal together,
And thou feedest daintily.
Fire, full oft have you and I
Seen the joyless night creep by,
When with sadder face, and paler,
I have watched thee wearily.
Seen the joyless night creep by,
When with sadder face, and paler,
I have watched thee wearily.
When no voice of mirthful song,
Broke the silence drear and long,
When the chain of grief had bound me,
In its iron clasp and strong.
Broke the silence drear and long,
When the chain of grief had bound me,
In its iron clasp and strong.
66
And I well remember, how,
With thy light upon my brow,
I believed no friend was left me
In the whole wide world, but thou.
With thy light upon my brow,
I believed no friend was left me
In the whole wide world, but thou.
Oft, uncared for, and alone,
I have sat, with frequent moan,
Tracing in thy fading embers,
Sweet familiar faces gone.
I have sat, with frequent moan,
Tracing in thy fading embers,
Sweet familiar faces gone.
Oft, in childhood's dreamy time,
I have clothed in rudest rhyme,
While thy pleasant smile was on me,
Sunny visions of my prime.
I have clothed in rudest rhyme,
While thy pleasant smile was on me,
Sunny visions of my prime.
Oft, when heart and brow did wear
Sullen shades of worldly care,
Startled by thy sudden flashes,
I have smiled, unaware.
Sullen shades of worldly care,
Startled by thy sudden flashes,
I have smiled, unaware.
67
Then all worthy praise, and free,
Given in no mean degree,
Now be thine, old boon companion,
And be thine unchangeably.
Given in no mean degree,
Now be thine, old boon companion,
And be thine unchangeably.
Fare-thee-well, and once again,
Ere our merry mood doth wane,
With my latest cup I pledge thee,
In the ending of my strain.
Ere our merry mood doth wane,
With my latest cup I pledge thee,
In the ending of my strain.
| Beads from a Rosary | |