The American common-place book of poetry with occasional notes |
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Summer Evening at a short Distance from the City.—Alonzo Lewis.
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 | The American common-place book of poetry |  |
Summer Evening at a short Distance from the City.—Alonzo Lewis.
And now the city smoke begins to rise,
And spread its volume o'er the misty sea;
From school dismissed, the barefoot urchin hies
To drive the cattle from the upland lea;
With gentle pace we cross the polished beach,
And the sun sets as we our mansion reach.
And spread its volume o'er the misty sea;
From school dismissed, the barefoot urchin hies
To drive the cattle from the upland lea;
With gentle pace we cross the polished beach,
And the sun sets as we our mansion reach.
Then come the social joys of summer eve,
The pleasant walk along the river-side,
What time their task the weary boatmen leave,
And little fishes from the silver tide,
Elate with joy, leap in successive springs,
And spread the wavelets in diverging rings.
The pleasant walk along the river-side,
What time their task the weary boatmen leave,
And little fishes from the silver tide,
Elate with joy, leap in successive springs,
And spread the wavelets in diverging rings.
High overhead the stripe-winged nighthawk soars,
With loud responses to his distant love;
And while the air for insects he explores,
In frequent swoop descending from above,
Startles, with whizzing sound, the fearful wight,
Who wanders lonely in the silent night.
With loud responses to his distant love;
And while the air for insects he explores,
In frequent swoop descending from above,
Startles, with whizzing sound, the fearful wight,
Who wanders lonely in the silent night.
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Around our heads the bat, on leathern wings,
In airy circles wheels his sudden flight;
The whippoorwill, in distant forest, sings
Her loud, unvaried song; and o'er the night
The boding owl, upon the evening gale,
Sends forth her wild and melancholy wail.
In airy circles wheels his sudden flight;
The whippoorwill, in distant forest, sings
Her loud, unvaried song; and o'er the night
The boding owl, upon the evening gale,
Sends forth her wild and melancholy wail.
The first sweet hour of gentle evening flies,
On downy pinions to eternal rest;
Along the vale the balmy breezes rise,
Fanning the languid boughs; while in the west
The last faint streaks of daylight die away,
And night and silence close the summer day.
On downy pinions to eternal rest;
Along the vale the balmy breezes rise,
Fanning the languid boughs; while in the west
The last faint streaks of daylight die away,
And night and silence close the summer day.
| The American common-place book of poetry | |