 | The miscellaneous essays and occasional writings of Francis Hopkinson, Esq |  |
102
A MORNING HYMN.
Once more the rising source of day,
Pours on the earth his genial ray:
Withdraws the starry veil of night,
And smiles on ev'ry mountain height.
Pours on the earth his genial ray:
Withdraws the starry veil of night,
And smiles on ev'ry mountain height.
Once more my soul, thy song prepare,
Thy God approach in praise and pray'r;
With early voice salute the skies,
And on the lark's fleet pinions rise.
Thy God approach in praise and pray'r;
With early voice salute the skies,
And on the lark's fleet pinions rise.
This hand did me from danger keep
When nature lay entranc'd in sleep:
When ev'ry sense forsook its post,
And reason's guardian pow'r was lost.
When nature lay entranc'd in sleep:
When ev'ry sense forsook its post,
And reason's guardian pow'r was lost.
Soon as dark night o'er spreads the skies,
Colds mists and drowsy damps arise:
Contagious steams their confines break,
And slumber o'er the sluggish lake.
Colds mists and drowsy damps arise:
Contagious steams their confines break,
And slumber o'er the sluggish lake.
Loud shrieks the melancholy owl,
And prowling wolves thro' deserts howl;
The fancied spectre glides the green,
And midnight murder walks unseen.
And prowling wolves thro' deserts howl;
The fancied spectre glides the green,
And midnight murder walks unseen.
103
Forlorn the wearied wand'rer strays,
Lost in a labyrinthian maze;
Where'er he treads, is danger there,
And his soul sickens in despair.
Lost in a labyrinthian maze;
Where'er he treads, is danger there,
And his soul sickens in despair.
Whilst slumbers soft my eye-lids close,
And golden dreams and sweet repose,
Wear the sad hours of night away,
And hasten on the chearful day.
And golden dreams and sweet repose,
Wear the sad hours of night away,
And hasten on the chearful day.
My God! shall not such goodness move
My soul to gratitude an love?
Or shall my heart forget to raise,
Her loud hosannahs to thy praise?
My soul to gratitude an love?
Or shall my heart forget to raise,
Her loud hosannahs to thy praise?
When shall my eager spirit rise,
And soar above these floating skies?
Oh! when with hosts seraphic join,
To sing thy majesty divine?
And soar above these floating skies?
Oh! when with hosts seraphic join,
To sing thy majesty divine?
In realms where no returns of night,
Shall e'er the tim'rous soul affright?
But one eternal blaze of day,
Shines forth with unremitting ray?
Shall e'er the tim'rous soul affright?
But one eternal blaze of day,
Shines forth with unremitting ray?
| The miscellaneous essays and occasional writings of Francis Hopkinson, Esq | |