 | Romance and revery |  |
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SUGGESTIONS.
When darkly o'er the mind have flown
Bewildering mists of grief,
When doubt's rough arm has overthrown
All bastions of belief,
Bewildering mists of grief,
When doubt's rough arm has overthrown
All bastions of belief,
When hope is like a flower that falls,
Despoiled of bloom and balm,—
Even then we gain, at intervals,
Majestic moods of calm.
Despoiled of bloom and balm,—
Even then we gain, at intervals,
Majestic moods of calm.
Though empty looks the aim to explore,
By words of mortal breath,
The mystery that is life—and more,
The mystery that is death,
By words of mortal breath,
The mystery that is life—and more,
The mystery that is death,
Yet gleams of happier change are known,
Brief-clad with cogent power,
When feeling reigns on reason's throne,
The sovereign of an hour!
Brief-clad with cogent power,
When feeling reigns on reason's throne,
The sovereign of an hour!
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And then, if so the heart shall choose,
Our thrilled and wondering sense
Can hear the voice of nature use
Aërial eloquence! ...
Our thrilled and wondering sense
Can hear the voice of nature use
Aërial eloquence! ...
When lonely memories of our loss,
In dreams to thrill the sight,
Have swept funereally across
The draperies of the night,
In dreams to thrill the sight,
Have swept funereally across
The draperies of the night,
Perchance, along the illumined land,
Dawn seems, with sweet release,
A white consolatory hand
That points to bournes of peace! ...
Dawn seems, with sweet release,
A white consolatory hand
That points to bournes of peace! ...
Or if, when day is done, we pass
Where deep woods vaguely stir,
Whose branches hide the embowered grass
Of swards they sepulchre,
Where deep woods vaguely stir,
Whose branches hide the embowered grass
Of swards they sepulchre,
Perchance a sudden joy will greet
The breast that misery mars,
When clear through sundering leaves we meet
The high smile of the stars! ...
The breast that misery mars,
When clear through sundering leaves we meet
The high smile of the stars! ...
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Or yet the same rich pulse of thought
May wake, in souls like these,
To watch the long pale pathways wrought
By moons on summer seas! ...
May wake, in souls like these,
To watch the long pale pathways wrought
By moons on summer seas! ...
Or yet when fleet cool winds arise,
At some harsh tempest's flight,
While half of heaven in blackness lies,
And the other laughs in light! ...
At some harsh tempest's flight,
While half of heaven in blackness lies,
And the other laughs in light! ...
Thus many a grace through nature lives,
By whose dear aid we gain
Some delicate sympathy that gives
Nepenthes unto pain!
By whose dear aid we gain
Some delicate sympathy that gives
Nepenthes unto pain!
O soft appeals! O shadowy spells!
You seem, when earthward borne,
Like birds from far Hesperian dells
In alien climes forlorn!
You seem, when earthward borne,
Like birds from far Hesperian dells
In alien climes forlorn!
And whence you float, on transient wing,
Ah, wherefore vainly guess?
Enough that while you bide you bring
Sublime suggestiveness!
Ah, wherefore vainly guess?
Enough that while you bide you bring
Sublime suggestiveness!
| Romance and revery | |