Poems, moral and descriptive By the late Richard Jago ... (Prepared for the press, and improved by the author, before his death.) To which is added, some account of the life and writings of Mr. Jago |
 |
|
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
|
The BLACKBIRDS.
|
|
| I. |
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| II. |
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| III. |
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
|
| IV. |
|
 | Poems, moral and descriptive |  |
The BLACKBIRDS.
An ELEGY.
The Sun had chas'd the mountain-snow,
His beams had pierc'd the stubborn soil,
The melting streams began to flow,
And Plowmen urg'd their annual toil.
His beams had pierc'd the stubborn soil,
The melting streams began to flow,
And Plowmen urg'd their annual toil.
'Twas then, amidst the vocal throng,
Whom Nature wak'd to mirth, and love,
A Blackbird rais'd his am'rous song,
And thus it echo'd thro' the grove.
Whom Nature wak'd to mirth, and love,
A Blackbird rais'd his am'rous song,
And thus it echo'd thro' the grove.
203
O fairest of the feather'd train!
For whom I sing, for whom I burn,
Attend with pity to my strain,
And grant my love a kind return.
For whom I sing, for whom I burn,
Attend with pity to my strain,
And grant my love a kind return.
For see, the wint'ry storms are flown,
And zephyrs gently fan the air;
Let us the genial influence own,
Let us the vernal pastime share.
And zephyrs gently fan the air;
Let us the genial influence own,
Let us the vernal pastime share.
The Raven plumes his jetty wing,
To please his croaking paramour,
The Larks responsive carols sing,
And tell their passion as they soar:
To please his croaking paramour,
The Larks responsive carols sing,
And tell their passion as they soar:
But does the Raven's sable wing
Excel the glossy jet of mine?
Or can the Lark more sweetly sing,
Than we, who strength with softness join?
Excel the glossy jet of mine?
Or can the Lark more sweetly sing,
Than we, who strength with softness join?
O let me then thy steps attend!
I'll point new treasures to thy sight:
Whether the grove thy wish befriend,
Or hedge-rows green, or meadows bright.
I'll point new treasures to thy sight:
Whether the grove thy wish befriend,
Or hedge-rows green, or meadows bright.
204
I'll guide thee to the clearest rill,
Whose streams among the pebbles stray;
There will we sip, and sip our fill,
Or on the flow'ry margin play.
Whose streams among the pebbles stray;
There will we sip, and sip our fill,
Or on the flow'ry margin play.
I'll lead thee to the thickest brake,
Impervious to the school-boy's eye;
For thee the plaister'd nest I'll make,
And to thy downy bosom fly.
Impervious to the school-boy's eye;
For thee the plaister'd nest I'll make,
And to thy downy bosom fly.
When, prompted by a mother's care,
Thy warmth shall form th'imprison'd young,
The pleasing task I'll gladly share,
Or cheer thy labours with a song.
Thy warmth shall form th'imprison'd young,
The pleasing task I'll gladly share,
Or cheer thy labours with a song.
To bring thee food I'll range the fields,
And cull the best of ev'ry kind,
Whatever Nature's bounty yields,
And love's assiduous care can find.
And cull the best of ev'ry kind,
Whatever Nature's bounty yields,
And love's assiduous care can find.
And when my lovely mate wou'd stray,
To taste the summer sweets at large,
I'll wait at home the live-long day,
And fondly tend our little charge.
To taste the summer sweets at large,
I'll wait at home the live-long day,
And fondly tend our little charge.
205
Then prove with me the sweets of love,
With me divide the cares of life,
No bush shall boast in all the grove,
A mate so fond, so blest a wife.
With me divide the cares of life,
No bush shall boast in all the grove,
A mate so fond, so blest a wife.
He ceas'd his song—the plumy dame
Heard with delight the love-sick strain,
Nor long conceal'd a mutual flame,
Nor long repress'd his am'rous pain.
Heard with delight the love-sick strain,
Nor long conceal'd a mutual flame,
Nor long repress'd his am'rous pain.
He led her to the nuptial bow'r,
And perch'd with triumph by her side;
What gilded roof cou'd boast that hour
A fonder mate, or happier bride?
And perch'd with triumph by her side;
What gilded roof cou'd boast that hour
A fonder mate, or happier bride?
Next morn he wak'd her with a song,
Behold, he said, the new-born day,
The Lark his mattin-peal has rung,
Arise, my love, and come away.
Behold, he said, the new-born day,
The Lark his mattin-peal has rung,
Arise, my love, and come away.
Together thro' the fields they stray'd,
And to the murm'ring riv'let's side,
Renew'd their vows, and hopp'd, and play'd
With artless joy, and decent pride.
And to the murm'ring riv'let's side,
Renew'd their vows, and hopp'd, and play'd
With artless joy, and decent pride.
206
When O! with grief my Muse relates
What dire misfortune clos'd the tale,
Sent by an order from the Fates,
A Gunner met them in the vale.
What dire misfortune clos'd the tale,
Sent by an order from the Fates,
A Gunner met them in the vale.
Alarm'd, the lover cried, My dear,
Haste, haste away, from danger fly;
Here, Gunner, point thy thunder here,
O spare my love, and let me die.
Haste, haste away, from danger fly;
Here, Gunner, point thy thunder here,
O spare my love, and let me die.
At him the Gunner took his aim,
Too sure the volley'd thunder flew!
O had he chose some other game,
Or shot—as he was wont to do!
Too sure the volley'd thunder flew!
O had he chose some other game,
Or shot—as he was wont to do!
Divided Pair! forgive the wrong,
While I with tears your fate rehearse,
I'll join the Widow's plaintive song,
And save the Lover in my verse.
While I with tears your fate rehearse,
I'll join the Widow's plaintive song,
And save the Lover in my verse.
| Poems, moral and descriptive | |