 | Poems by Frances Sargent Osgood |  |
186
“THE HOURS AWAKING THE MORNING.”
A PICTURE BY HOWARD.
She sleeps! on her cloud-pillows softly reclining,
Her glowing cheek dimples with dreamy delight,
Around her white shoulders rich sun-tresses twining,
With dim, dewy lustre, illumine the night;—
Her glowing cheek dimples with dreamy delight,
Around her white shoulders rich sun-tresses twining,
With dim, dewy lustre, illumine the night;—
Yes! faint through the mist that enwreathes her reposing,
The gleam of that golden hair glistens the while,
Making twilight on high;—till those blue eyes, unclosing,
Shall flash on creation the wealth of their smile!
The gleam of that golden hair glistens the while,
Making twilight on high;—till those blue eyes, unclosing,
Shall flash on creation the wealth of their smile!
She sleeps! and the stars have gone by in their glory,
Nor woke with their wing'd feet the dreamer they met!
And Dian has stolen to tell the love-story
Her blooming Endymion listens to yet!
Nor woke with their wing'd feet the dreamer they met!
And Dian has stolen to tell the love-story
Her blooming Endymion listens to yet!
She sleeps! the young goddess Aurora!—so glowing,
So sweet are her visions, she will not awake!
And silent and swift are the dim Hours going,—
But hark! o'er the stillness what music doth break!
So sweet are her visions, she will not awake!
And silent and swift are the dim Hours going,—
But hark! o'er the stillness what music doth break!
187
Behold! through the mist, the fair Hour of the Morning,
With smiles of arch meaning, floats gracefully by;
Her finger uplifted in frolicsome warning,
With song on her lip, and reproof in her eye!
With smiles of arch meaning, floats gracefully by;
Her finger uplifted in frolicsome warning,
With song on her lip, and reproof in her eye!
“Sweet sluggard! awaken!—Apollo is near!
Oh! fly ere the god shall thy slumbers suprise!
His flame-wingéd coursers already I hear!
Aurora! my sister!—awaken! arise!”
Oh! fly ere the god shall thy slumbers suprise!
His flame-wingéd coursers already I hear!
Aurora! my sister!—awaken! arise!”
And the goddess springs up from the slumbers that bound her,
And pauses in blushing bewilderment there;
Her rosy smiles melting the mist-wreath around her,—
Her gold-tresses shedding soft dew on the air!
And pauses in blushing bewilderment there;
Her rosy smiles melting the mist-wreath around her,—
Her gold-tresses shedding soft dew on the air!
Now slowly she comes!—Heaven kindles before her,—
Her lark warbles proudly his passionate lay,—
Earth woos with a smile the light step of Aurora,—
And Beauty and Music awake in her way!
Her lark warbles proudly his passionate lay,—
Earth woos with a smile the light step of Aurora,—
And Beauty and Music awake in her way!
| Poems by Frances Sargent Osgood | |