 | Orra |  |
ORRA'S SONG.
Oh many a time when tempests rose,
I've looked upon the troubled wave;
And wept as I have thought on those
Who in the ocean find their grave.
I've looked upon the troubled wave;
And wept as I have thought on those
Who in the ocean find their grave.
23
And now were Lawo at my side,
I'd sail for e'er from isle to isle,
Without a star to be our guide,
And meet the tempest with a smile.
I'd sail for e'er from isle to isle,
Without a star to be our guide,
And meet the tempest with a smile.
But may the tempest yet be still,
The sun be beaming in the sky,
And be my lover where he will,
To him I'll fly, to him I'll fly.
The sun be beaming in the sky,
And be my lover where he will,
To him I'll fly, to him I'll fly.
That I might think of him—he bound
This glitt'ring zone around my waist,
And, till my lover I have found,
It ne'er again shall be displaced.
This glitt'ring zone around my waist,
And, till my lover I have found,
It ne'er again shall be displaced.
24
The breezes failed, and Orra's sail was furled,
On the still sea the light unbroken lay,
Save when around her oar the waters curled,
Or when her boat struck up the dancing spray;
The breezes failed, and Orra's weary hand
Must fail ere she can reach the distant land
Where she a while for fav'ring winds may stay.
On the still sea the light unbroken lay,
Save when around her oar the waters curled,
Or when her boat struck up the dancing spray;
The breezes failed, and Orra's weary hand
Must fail ere she can reach the distant land
Where she a while for fav'ring winds may stay.
Huge, rising from the sea, not far away,—
And crowned with glitt'ring and eternal snows—
A rock is seen, that in the solar ray,
Far o'er the waves a gloomy shadow throws;
Its lofty head, as if rebuked by heaven,
Into a thousand shapeless peaks was riven:
Nor flow'r nor plant upon its surface grows.
And crowned with glitt'ring and eternal snows—
A rock is seen, that in the solar ray,
Far o'er the waves a gloomy shadow throws;
Its lofty head, as if rebuked by heaven,
Into a thousand shapeless peaks was riven:
Nor flow'r nor plant upon its surface grows.
25
Its northern side displays a rugged cave,
And the wild waters in the tempest, break
O'er lesser fragments now above the wave,
That to the cave an easy access make;
Here, rising from their weedy bed of green,
The sea-nymphs, though by mortals seldom seen,
Their watery locks in midnight sun-shine shake.
And the wild waters in the tempest, break
O'er lesser fragments now above the wave,
That to the cave an easy access make;
Here, rising from their weedy bed of green,
The sea-nymphs, though by mortals seldom seen,
Their watery locks in midnight sun-shine shake.
Here to the rock, her boat young Orra ties,
And gains the cavern, with as light a tread
As e'er those sea-nymphs from the ocean rise:
And there her weary form to rest is laid.
Did one so fair e'er grace a cell so rude!
Or linger in so wild a solitude!
Or slumber on so comfortless a bed!
And gains the cavern, with as light a tread
As e'er those sea-nymphs from the ocean rise:
And there her weary form to rest is laid.
Did one so fair e'er grace a cell so rude!
Or linger in so wild a solitude!
Or slumber on so comfortless a bed!
26
And softly now her snowy eyelids close,
Weighed down by slumber, o'er her bright blue eyes,
As bound beneath the cold and wintry snows,
The azure wave of ocean frozen lies:
Sleep on, sleep on, thou miserable fair,
Oh slumber on, nor wake again to share
The woes that wait thee, when thou shalt arise.
Weighed down by slumber, o'er her bright blue eyes,
As bound beneath the cold and wintry snows,
The azure wave of ocean frozen lies:
Sleep on, sleep on, thou miserable fair,
Oh slumber on, nor wake again to share
The woes that wait thee, when thou shalt arise.
Fresh blows the wind—and hissing on the main,
Like snowy serpents, curls the glittering spray,
Wrapped in sweet sleep, the beauteous maid is lain,
And smiles o'er her unconscious features play.
The heavens with gloomy clouds are overspread—
Her wandering soul, in dreams delusive led,
In sunny fields with Lawo seems to stray.
Like snowy serpents, curls the glittering spray,
Wrapped in sweet sleep, the beauteous maid is lain,
And smiles o'er her unconscious features play.
The heavens with gloomy clouds are overspread—
Her wandering soul, in dreams delusive led,
In sunny fields with Lawo seems to stray.
27
Loud raves the wind, the sky with thunder rings,
And all is dark, save where the light'ning flies
Through the white foam that angry ocean flings
Indignant to the dark and cruel skies—
From its frail mooring Orra's boat is torn,
And far away upon the waves is borne
For ever and for ever from her eyes.
And all is dark, save where the light'ning flies
Through the white foam that angry ocean flings
Indignant to the dark and cruel skies—
From its frail mooring Orra's boat is torn,
And far away upon the waves is borne
For ever and for ever from her eyes.
Waked by the wild tempestuous war around,
The Lapland maiden started from her sleep,
And pale and trembling, rising from the ground,
Looked out upon the wild and troubled deep,
There glides a gleam of light'ning through the dark;
And in its light she missed her little bark
That erst was moored to the rocky steep.
The Lapland maiden started from her sleep,
And pale and trembling, rising from the ground,
Looked out upon the wild and troubled deep,
There glides a gleam of light'ning through the dark;
And in its light she missed her little bark
That erst was moored to the rocky steep.
28
She gave one shriek, while tremblingly she laid
Upon her breaking heart, her hand so fair,
And pallid as the surf that round her played,
She senseless fell with horror and despair,
Nor can she gain her boat if she should leap
Down from the rocky height into the deep:
Oh! no! 'tis death to go, 'tis death to linger there.
Upon her breaking heart, her hand so fair,
And pallid as the surf that round her played,
She senseless fell with horror and despair,
Nor can she gain her boat if she should leap
Down from the rocky height into the deep:
Oh! no! 'tis death to go, 'tis death to linger there.
| Orra | |