 | Landscapes in verse |  |
Rous'd by the spirit, breathing in her shell,
Forth from the panting heart, her votive train
With incense to her beauteous shrine advance;
Ambition, as he rushes up the steeps
Of tow'ring life, in pride of youthful days,
To win the warrior, or the patriot wreath,
Midway in his career suspends his step,
List'ning the note that swells to honest praise,
Then onward presses to the sunny brow,
Where Fame awaits to crown him:—Mad Revenge,
Aw'd by the threat'ning lyre, awakes from dreams,
Where his vex'd spirit thro' the troublous night
Had toss'd thro' seas of blood, while Murder drew
In vision dire th'assassin's reeking blade—
Soul-soften'd, see he drops the instrument,
And weeps upon the breast he meant to stain:—
Ev'n Jealousy, that maniac of the mind,
His pale lip quiv'ring to his dark intents,—
Intents which mark for death the maid he loves,—
(Haply for glance misdeem'd, or dubious word,
Tortur'd to sense perfidious) should thy voice,
Like to th'Almighty fiat, bid the storm
Forbear to rage;—O should thou touch the chord,
And thro' thy melting lute bid Pity breathe
Her softest music of forgiving love—
The furious youth like one entranced stands,
Till streams of tenderest anguish o'er his cheek,
Like gentle showers upon the with'ring shrub
Smote by the torrid beams of sultry noon,
Begin to flow, till lily'd Constancy
(That flower of Paradise while bless'd) adorns
The idol of his heart—and soon he flies
With fond repentance to her faithful arms.
Fir'd by th'ætherial Muse, young Genius soars
An eagle flight to crop thy own-lov'd plant,
Where, foster'd midst the regions of the sun,
And water'd by the consecrated stream,
It grows to crown the favor'd bard, who wins
Thy partial smile—O universal power,
'Tis thine to gild pale Poverty's chill hut,
Smooth the dark brow that glooms on wan disease,
Thine is the tear of woe, the smile of joy,
Of social life thine ev'ry gracious charm;
Untutor'd Nature, midst her savage wilds,
Carols with artless note thy wond'rous praise;
In friendship's sacred bower, and in the path
Of rosy love, thy flow'rets sweet diffuse
Immortal fragrance, and immortal bloom.
Descend then, O inhabitants of heav'n,
In all the colours of the glowing morn,
When May with fragrance fills the vernal gale!
Forth from the panting heart, her votive train
With incense to her beauteous shrine advance;
Ambition, as he rushes up the steeps
Of tow'ring life, in pride of youthful days,
To win the warrior, or the patriot wreath,
Midway in his career suspends his step,
List'ning the note that swells to honest praise,
Then onward presses to the sunny brow,
Where Fame awaits to crown him:—Mad Revenge,
Aw'd by the threat'ning lyre, awakes from dreams,
57
Had toss'd thro' seas of blood, while Murder drew
In vision dire th'assassin's reeking blade—
Soul-soften'd, see he drops the instrument,
And weeps upon the breast he meant to stain:—
Ev'n Jealousy, that maniac of the mind,
His pale lip quiv'ring to his dark intents,—
Intents which mark for death the maid he loves,—
(Haply for glance misdeem'd, or dubious word,
Tortur'd to sense perfidious) should thy voice,
Like to th'Almighty fiat, bid the storm
Forbear to rage;—O should thou touch the chord,
And thro' thy melting lute bid Pity breathe
Her softest music of forgiving love—
The furious youth like one entranced stands,
58
Like gentle showers upon the with'ring shrub
Smote by the torrid beams of sultry noon,
Begin to flow, till lily'd Constancy
(That flower of Paradise while bless'd) adorns
The idol of his heart—and soon he flies
With fond repentance to her faithful arms.
Fir'd by th'ætherial Muse, young Genius soars
An eagle flight to crop thy own-lov'd plant,
Where, foster'd midst the regions of the sun,
And water'd by the consecrated stream,
It grows to crown the favor'd bard, who wins
Thy partial smile—O universal power,
'Tis thine to gild pale Poverty's chill hut,
Smooth the dark brow that glooms on wan disease,
59
Of social life thine ev'ry gracious charm;
Untutor'd Nature, midst her savage wilds,
Carols with artless note thy wond'rous praise;
In friendship's sacred bower, and in the path
Of rosy love, thy flow'rets sweet diffuse
Immortal fragrance, and immortal bloom.
Descend then, O inhabitants of heav'n,
In all the colours of the glowing morn,
When May with fragrance fills the vernal gale!
| Landscapes in verse | |