 | Judith, Esther, and other poems |  |
A LETTER.
Brother dear, alone and musing
O'er St. Lawrence' moonlight bed,
Sad regret, my heart suffusing,
Bids it dwell on moments fled.
O'er St. Lawrence' moonlight bed,
Sad regret, my heart suffusing,
Bids it dwell on moments fled.
All in vain I strive to cheer it,
To itself, that bosom true
Tinges every object near it
With its own delightless hue.
To itself, that bosom true
Tinges every object near it
With its own delightless hue.
Yet the hour and scene before me
Hush the ruder thoughts of day,
And the muse that's flitting o'er me
Bids me waft thee one poor lay.
Hush the ruder thoughts of day,
And the muse that's flitting o'er me
Bids me waft thee one poor lay.
Come, Imagination,—take me
To thy soft embrace awhile,
And though all beside forsake me,
Linger still and still beguile.
To thy soft embrace awhile,
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Linger still and still beguile.
Oh! she clasps me, closer, fonder
To her warm but guiltless breast,
And o'er thy soft fields I wander
While the isle is steeped in rest.
To her warm but guiltless breast,
And o'er thy soft fields I wander
While the isle is steeped in rest.
Fragrant dews the citron laving
Sparkle in the full moon's light,
And the high palmetto waving
Graceful woos the breeze of night.
Sparkle in the full moon's light,
And the high palmetto waving
Graceful woos the breeze of night.
Woos the wild breeze slowly flying
Languid with excess of bliss,
Over flowers that drooping, sighing,
Give a tear for every kiss.
Languid with excess of bliss,
Over flowers that drooping, sighing,
Give a tear for every kiss.
O'er the groves on gray wing sailing
But the mocking-bird alone,
Every meaner model failing
Pours forth music all his own.
But the mocking-bird alone,
Every meaner model failing
Pours forth music all his own.
O'er a golden orange perching,
Matchless minstrel of the west,
Eyeing heaven's blue arch he's searching
For, of all his songs, the best.
Matchless minstrel of the west,
Eyeing heaven's blue arch he's searching
For, of all his songs, the best.
Now the midnight silence breaking,
Sweetly bursts the liquid trill,
While the weary stranger waking,
Harks—and thinks he's dreaming still.
Sweetly bursts the liquid trill,
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Harks—and thinks he's dreaming still.
But refreshing slumbers keeping
Still their vigils o'er thy head,
Brother dear, I see thee sleeping
Softly on thy silken bed.
Still their vigils o'er thy head,
Brother dear, I see thee sleeping
Softly on thy silken bed.
See thee not as last we parted
When a lingering fever's flame
Through life's mazy channels darted,
Feasting on thy wasted frame.
When a lingering fever's flame
Through life's mazy channels darted,
Feasting on thy wasted frame.
But thy pulses gently playing
Healthful dews about thy brow,
And thy lip's expression saying
“All things smile upon me now.”
Healthful dews about thy brow,
And thy lip's expression saying
“All things smile upon me now.”
Does my light-winged guide deceive me?
Art thou falsely brought to view?
'Tis too dear to doubt—relieve me
From the thought, and say 'tis true.
Art thou falsely brought to view?
'Tis too dear to doubt—relieve me
From the thought, and say 'tis true.
| Judith, Esther, and other poems | |