 | Lyrical and other poems |  |
185
TO A BIRD AT SEA
Whither thy home,
Whilst with thy raven plume I see thee bend
From heavns indistinct blue and downward tend
'Mid the sea-foam,
Whilst with thy raven plume I see thee bend
From heavns indistinct blue and downward tend
'Mid the sea-foam,
Wanderer, of air!
Here, where no jutting rock presents its form,
To give thee shelter from th' approaching storm
What dost thou here?
Here, where no jutting rock presents its form,
To give thee shelter from th' approaching storm
What dost thou here?
Or, dost thou bring
To glad the weary pilgrim on his way,
Tidings of rocky shore, or fertile bay,
On tireless wing.
To glad the weary pilgrim on his way,
Tidings of rocky shore, or fertile bay,
On tireless wing.
And did'st thou rest,
Ere-while, upon the distant spot, which now
Impell'd by gallant sails, our eager prow
Seeks in the west?
Ere-while, upon the distant spot, which now
Impell'd by gallant sails, our eager prow
Seeks in the west?
Then shall our hearts
Bless thy dark wing, that seeking now its home,
Thine ærie, far beyond this waste of foam,
That hope imparts,
Bless thy dark wing, that seeking now its home,
Thine ærie, far beyond this waste of foam,
That hope imparts,
Which none can know,
Save he, who in a distant, much lov'd land,
Has felt the thrill of feelings genial band,
And generous glow;
Save he, who in a distant, much lov'd land,
Has felt the thrill of feelings genial band,
And generous glow;
186
And longs with breast,
As fearless and unwearied as thine own,
To meet once more the form so lov'd and known
His heaven—his rest!
As fearless and unwearied as thine own,
To meet once more the form so lov'd and known
His heaven—his rest!
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