 | Virginalia ; or, songs of my summer nights |  |
URANOTHEN.
Beneath the shelter of mine own dear home,
I lay, one night, when all had gone to rest,
When, presently, there seemed from Heaven to come
An Angel, telling me that she was blest.
I lay, one night, when all had gone to rest,
When, presently, there seemed from Heaven to come
An Angel, telling me that she was blest.
The radiance from the light of her swift wings,
Melted the moonlight as she came from rest,
Whose presence glorified all earthly things—
Making them Heaven—telling me she was blest.
Melted the moonlight as she came from rest,
Whose presence glorified all earthly things—
Making them Heaven—telling me she was blest.
There was no sound—even Silence, by the breeze
Of her odorous breath, was soothed to rest;
When, in the moonlight, underneath the trees,
She came from Heaven—to tell me she was blest.
Of her odorous breath, was soothed to rest;
When, in the moonlight, underneath the trees,
She came from Heaven—to tell me she was blest.
All things grew silent—voiceless—dumb as death—
In awe of that dear being Heaven-possest—
My soul was speechless—when her Eden breath
Parted her lips to tell me she was blest.
In awe of that dear being Heaven-possest—
My soul was speechless—when her Eden breath
Parted her lips to tell me she was blest.
98
The coming of her light-ensandaled feet,
Star flowers upon the bloomless earth imprest;
Whose breath, with fragrance, made the air replete—
My soul with joy—telling me she was blest.
Star flowers upon the bloomless earth imprest;
Whose breath, with fragrance, made the air replete—
My soul with joy—telling me she was blest.
The Cherubimic-truths which thrilled my ear
The night's soft stillness with such joy imprest,
The mysteries of the grave were all made clear—
Heaven was revealed—showing me she was blest.
The night's soft stillness with such joy imprest,
The mysteries of the grave were all made clear—
Heaven was revealed—showing me she was blest.
Her beauty put out all things, as the sun
Puts out the stars—of brighter light possest—
For heavenly Day came with that Heavenly One
From Heaven above, to tell me she was blest.
Puts out the stars—of brighter light possest—
For heavenly Day came with that Heavenly One
From Heaven above, to tell me she was blest.
She came so near me that she touched my soul—
Her radiant hand sent rapture through my breast—
Which made the warm tears down my pale cheeks roll—
She came from Heaven to tell me she was blest.
Her radiant hand sent rapture through my breast—
Which made the warm tears down my pale cheeks roll—
She came from Heaven to tell me she was blest.
The sweet, dew-music of her rose-lips fell
Soft on my heart's parched leaves by grief opprest,
More nectarous than the mystic Hydromel
To Jove—wherewith she told me she was blest.
Soft on my heart's parched leaves by grief opprest,
More nectarous than the mystic Hydromel
To Jove—wherewith she told me she was blest.
As light is rayed out from some star at even,
Pensive within the chambers of the West,—
So was her glory, as she came from Heaven,
In spiritual fire, to tell me she was blest.
Pensive within the chambers of the West,—
So was her glory, as she came from Heaven,
In spiritual fire, to tell me she was blest.
As the God-praising music of the spheres
Thrills audibly the Ether's hyaline breast;
So thrilled she my fond heart, with song, to tears,
Which overflowed to know that she was blest.
Thrills audibly the Ether's hyaline breast;
So thrilled she my fond heart, with song, to tears,
Which overflowed to know that she was blest.
99
The hyaline wavelets of her voice of love
Rose on the soundless ether-seas calm breast;
Amid the interstarry realms above,
To God in Heaven, telling me she was blest.
Rose on the soundless ether-seas calm breast;
Amid the interstarry realms above,
To God in Heaven, telling me she was blest.
Her incense-voice, now echoing round the throne,
Has left me here on earth so dispossest—
Wailing for that lost melody alone—
I know no joy but this—that she is blest.
Has left me here on earth so dispossest—
Wailing for that lost melody alone—
I know no joy but this—that she is blest.
As God leans down from Heaven to earth to hear
The Angel-music of man's heart opprest;
So leans she out of Heaven her gracious ear
To hear me sing—she told me she was blest.
The Angel-music of man's heart opprest;
So leans she out of Heaven her gracious ear
To hear me sing—she told me she was blest.
Silence, the mother of all sounds, grew mute
To hear my heart beat joy within my breast,
As from her spirit-tongue, (her soul's sweet lute,)
The music fell to tell me she was blest.
To hear my heart beat joy within my breast,
As from her spirit-tongue, (her soul's sweet lute,)
The music fell to tell me she was blest.
The Angel-gladdening music of the spheres,
Singing the Cycles of her soul at rest,
Through the Great Sabbath of the Eternal Years—
Echoes the Song that told me she was blest.
Singing the Cycles of her soul at rest,
Through the Great Sabbath of the Eternal Years—
Echoes the Song that told me she was blest.
The luminous Huntress of the desert night,
Haunting the Earth with her swift stars, exprest
With her cold voice, the infinite delight
She felt to hear her tell me she was blest.
Haunting the Earth with her swift stars, exprest
With her cold voice, the infinite delight
She felt to hear her tell me she was blest.
The radiance from the light of her swift wings
Melted the moonlight as she went to rest;
For, as the snow-white Dove from earth upsprings,
So went she back to Heaven among the blest.
Melted the moonlight as she went to rest;
For, as the snow-white Dove from earth upsprings,
So went she back to Heaven among the blest.
Ville Allegra, Ga., April 8, 1812.
| Virginalia ; or, songs of my summer nights | |