 | Lays of Leisure Hours |  |
150
AN AUTUMNAL DAY.
No ripple on the wave was there—no tremour on the leaf,
And my heart—my heart lay still beneath the pressure of its grief,
A golden gloom was saddeningly shed out on all around,
From the leaves decaying on the boughs, to those upon the ground.
And my heart—my heart lay still beneath the pressure of its grief,
A golden gloom was saddeningly shed out on all around,
From the leaves decaying on the boughs, to those upon the ground.
For Autumn mellowed then the hours—she with the goldbound brows,
And the leaves were dying on that ground—decaying on those boughs;
And that deep pathetic Season still accords with Sorrow's reign,
Then grief becomes a richer thing—a loftier mystery—pain!
And the leaves were dying on that ground—decaying on those boughs;
And that deep pathetic Season still accords with Sorrow's reign,
Then grief becomes a richer thing—a loftier mystery—pain!
151
Nature then takes in sympathy a soft and plaintive tone,
Our melancholy mirrors back, and mingles with our moan,
Her voice of sighs responds to ours—there broods a great distress
O'er all the Earth so beautiful—yet who could wish it less?
Our melancholy mirrors back, and mingles with our moan,
Her voice of sighs responds to ours—there broods a great distress
O'er all the Earth so beautiful—yet who could wish it less?
All images of mournful things assailed my mournful thought,
Each leaf a little History of decay and failing brought;
I revelled in those mournful thoughts, and revelled in those things,
Which seemed with kindred feeling then to thrill my heart's deep strings!
Each leaf a little History of decay and failing brought;
I revelled in those mournful thoughts, and revelled in those things,
Which seemed with kindred feeling then to thrill my heart's deep strings!
Nature! when thus we own thy charm, and when we feel thy sway,
Then the selfishness of suffering at least seems ta'en away;
Not for ourselves we deem it is we nurse our sleepless care
In the sufferings of a suffering World we sympathizing share!
Then the selfishness of suffering at least seems ta'en away;
Not for ourselves we deem it is we nurse our sleepless care
In the sufferings of a suffering World we sympathizing share!
152
When where'er we turn, where'er we move, e'en universally around,
A sadness dwells upon the air, the sky, the shadowy ground—
We seem unto a host of griefs to unlock the accordant heart,
In the sorrows of the sorrowing Earth we feel we bear our part.
A sadness dwells upon the air, the sky, the shadowy ground—
We seem unto a host of griefs to unlock the accordant heart,
In the sorrows of the sorrowing Earth we feel we bear our part.
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