 | Specimens of American poetry |  |
SONG.
Sing to me as in old “lang syne,”
Thy sweet neglected songs.
To other hearts, oh! not to mine,
Thy newer, lighter strain belongs,
My desert memory it wrongs.
Thy sweet neglected songs.
To other hearts, oh! not to mine,
Thy newer, lighter strain belongs,
My desert memory it wrongs.
The strains thou lightly hurried'st o'er
To charm the gallant and the gay,
The brighter smile thy features wore,
When ceased thy sportive roundelay,
How changed from that more lovely day!
To charm the gallant and the gay,
The brighter smile thy features wore,
When ceased thy sportive roundelay,
How changed from that more lovely day!
Then to the known, the loved, the few,
Awoke each dear, familiar tone,
Which every heart instinctive knew
And thrilling answer'd with its own,
Till not a note was felt alone.
Awoke each dear, familiar tone,
Which every heart instinctive knew
And thrilling answer'd with its own,
Till not a note was felt alone.
Gone are the few—the known estranged,
Perchance 'tis right thy melody
Like them and these and all be changed,
And none preserve those songs but me
To think on what has been, what ne'er shall be.
Perchance 'tis right thy melody
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And none preserve those songs but me
To think on what has been, what ne'er shall be.
| Specimens of American poetry | |