 | Verses of a life time |  |
238
CITY CLOUDS AND STARS.
“I was rear'd
In the great city—
And saw naught lovely, but the sky and stars.”
Coleridge.
In the great city—
And saw naught lovely, but the sky and stars.”
Coleridge.
Ye bless'd me in my childish hour,
White clouds, that, sailing by,
Early awoke a spell of power,
And won my gazing eye.
White clouds, that, sailing by,
Early awoke a spell of power,
And won my gazing eye.
And stars, ye glittering toys of heaven,
When on my couch I wept,
To you my youthful thoughts were given,
And thinking thus, I slept.
When on my couch I wept,
To you my youthful thoughts were given,
And thinking thus, I slept.
Still blessingly ye look below;—
When to the world's cold bourne
Mechanical my footsteps go,
My eyes to you upturn.
When to the world's cold bourne
Mechanical my footsteps go,
My eyes to you upturn.
239
The friends I've lost, the lov'd, the fair,
On those white foldings laid,
Come floating on the parting air,
In breezy light array'd.
On those white foldings laid,
Come floating on the parting air,
In breezy light array'd.
What though the city's serried wall
Hides nature from my sight?
Upward I look, and there ye all
Beam forth in lovely light.
Hides nature from my sight?
Upward I look, and there ye all
Beam forth in lovely light.
O, I forget forgetting friends,
Nor weep at envious foes;
Your silent gaze a ray extends
That heals me as it flows.
Nor weep at envious foes;
Your silent gaze a ray extends
That heals me as it flows.
Beautiful ministers of love,
Take, take me upward too;
I ask a resting-place above,
To shine and bless with you!
Take, take me upward too;
I ask a resting-place above,
To shine and bless with you!
Like you look down on aching eyes,
Tir'd with earth's fitful glare,
And kindly float o'er bursting sighs,
And hover o'er despair.
Tir'd with earth's fitful glare,
And kindly float o'er bursting sighs,
And hover o'er despair.
240
O stars, and clouds, and azure ray,
Day-dawn, and evening-glow,
Still o'er my fading fancy play,
Still to my being grow!
Day-dawn, and evening-glow,
Still o'er my fading fancy play,
Still to my being grow!
And when death's winding-sheet shall fold
Coldly my fading form,
Thus glitter in the wintry cold,
Or struggle through the storm;
Coldly my fading form,
Thus glitter in the wintry cold,
Or struggle through the storm;
Or through the sultry summer day,
Your fleecy mantle weave,
Or stud with gems and colors gay,
The sober brow of eve;
Your fleecy mantle weave,
Or stud with gems and colors gay,
The sober brow of eve;
O stars, and sky, and fleecy cloud,
Wait ye, and silent wave
Your standards mid the city's crowd,
Above my trodden grave.
Wait ye, and silent wave
Your standards mid the city's crowd,
Above my trodden grave.
Charleston, S. C. 1824.
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