 | Verses of a life time |  |
241
A LAMENT,
OVER A FAILING MUSICAL VOICE.
Where art thou, friend of former years,
Thou pleasant voice of song,
That gushed from out my inmost heart
In carol soft or strong?
Thou pleasant voice of song,
That gushed from out my inmost heart
In carol soft or strong?
O, I remember still thy lays,
Trilled off with thoughtless glee,
Amid my toys or garden walks,
Or 'neath the spreading tree.
Trilled off with thoughtless glee,
Amid my toys or garden walks,
Or 'neath the spreading tree.
I can recall the nursery song
That soothed my kitten's cries,
And that low note that sought to shut
My dolly's staring eyes.
That soothed my kitten's cries,
And that low note that sought to shut
My dolly's staring eyes.
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And I remember, as a dream,
My mother's tender pride,
When calling her young singing bird
To warble by her side.
My mother's tender pride,
When calling her young singing bird
To warble by her side.
With head erect, hands clasped before,
And curtsy fitly train'd,
I gave the shrill, ambitious song
With voice unduly strain'd.
And curtsy fitly train'd,
I gave the shrill, ambitious song
With voice unduly strain'd.
And humbler, holier notes than these,
Come back through distant years,
The hymning at that mother's knee,
Who bless'd me through her tears.
Come back through distant years,
The hymning at that mother's knee,
Who bless'd me through her tears.
Then higher feeling rose and grew
With strong, profound control,
Till rich romance swept o'er my life,
And lent my voice a soul.
With strong, profound control,
Till rich romance swept o'er my life,
And lent my voice a soul.
On sunny hills, in woodland depths,
The silver stream along,
Mid meadow flowers and orchard fruits,
I poured the dreamy song.
The silver stream along,
Mid meadow flowers and orchard fruits,
I poured the dreamy song.
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And when the moon with chastened smile,
Look'd downward on mine eye,
And her soft radiance thrill'd my frame,
It rose in ecstasy.
Look'd downward on mine eye,
And her soft radiance thrill'd my frame,
It rose in ecstasy.
Next Friendship woke my heart's young tune,
As, hand by hand still prest,
Her eyes, like eyes of cherubim,
Look'd deep within my breast.
As, hand by hand still prest,
Her eyes, like eyes of cherubim,
Look'd deep within my breast.
And Love stole near, and as he stirr'd
That heart's unruffled sea,
Tears, smiles, and sighs alternate rose,
Struggling for melody.
That heart's unruffled sea,
Tears, smiles, and sighs alternate rose,
Struggling for melody.
Who hath been young, nor own'd that love
Is like the fabled ray,
Waking the spirit into song
As breaks life's sunny day?
Is like the fabled ray,
Waking the spirit into song
As breaks life's sunny day?
Then came the carol here and there,
Heard from the busy wife,—
Snatches of song that lighten up
The toils and cares of life.
Heard from the busy wife,—
Snatches of song that lighten up
The toils and cares of life.
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And then the gentle lullaby
That sooth'd the babe to rest,
As, sinking like a twilight flower,
He nestled on my breast,—
That sooth'd the babe to rest,
As, sinking like a twilight flower,
He nestled on my breast,—
Unconscious of the eyes that gaz'd
With fond devotion there,
Unconscious of the broken song,
That form'd itself to prayer.
With fond devotion there,
Unconscious of the broken song,
That form'd itself to prayer.
Nor be thy sacred notes forgot,
Voice of the by-gone days!
The lay of evening penitence,
The morning hymn of praise.
Voice of the by-gone days!
The lay of evening penitence,
The morning hymn of praise.
Nor yet th' inspiring, holy swell
Of Sabbath's blessed chime,
Which bore upon its upward wing
The cares of earth and time.
Of Sabbath's blessed chime,
Which bore upon its upward wing
The cares of earth and time.
O, truant voice of former song,
Return, return again!
My heart is young, awake once more
Thy glad and solemn strain.
Return, return again!
My heart is young, awake once more
Thy glad and solemn strain.
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The bright round hills are standing still,
The woodland depths are green,
The orchards glow with autumn fruit,
And streamlets glide between;
The woodland depths are green,
The orchards glow with autumn fruit,
And streamlets glide between;
The lovely moon still mounts her car,
Flooding the earth and sea,—
Voice of my youth, on that bright ray
Why glid'st thou not to me?
Flooding the earth and sea,—
Voice of my youth, on that bright ray
Why glid'st thou not to me?
Friendship is true, and love still warm,
And Sabbath hymns are sung,—
With passionate appeal I ask,
Why leave thy lyre unstrung?
And Sabbath hymns are sung,—
With passionate appeal I ask,
Why leave thy lyre unstrung?
How silent!—but methinks I hear
A whisper from afar,
That tells me we shall meet again
Where new-cloth'd voices are!
A whisper from afar,
That tells me we shall meet again
Where new-cloth'd voices are!
And mine, mine own, will sound once more
Amid the eternal choir,
And swell in loftier, sweeter strains,
To some celestial lyre.
Amid the eternal choir,
And swell in loftier, sweeter strains,
To some celestial lyre.
1830.
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