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English melodies

By Charles Swain

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A RAINBOW.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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110

A RAINBOW.

A rainbow in the morning sky
Hung like a wreath of flowers;
Its glory caught each angel-eye
Amidst those heavenly bowers:
But still the lonely rainbow sigh'd,—
Its spirit found no rest;—
Ah! would I were a flower it cried,
To bloom on some kind breast!—
A thousand turn their gaze above,
But lo! this sea of air
Divides me far from human love,
And all that others share:—
The angels heard that song of grief,
Disturbing heaven's repose,
And spoke—and in a moment brief,
The rainbow bloom'd a rose!

111

A maiden soon espied the flower,
And cull'd it, in its pride;
'Twas worn upon her breast an hour—
And then 'twas cast aside!—
Oh! human love! oh! dream of bliss!
The dying flower did say,—
If life's affection be but this,
'Tis better to decay!