 | Poems |  |
162
ECHO'S REPLY.
BALLAD.
I came to the place of my birth, and I cried, “The friends
of my Youth, where are they?” and an Echo answered,
“Where are they?”
Arabic ms.
To the scenes of my childhood,
When years had departed,
To my haunts in the wild-wood,
With fondness I came;
But though hope smil'd before me,
I felt heavy-hearted;
One sad thought came o'er me,
Ah! were they the same?
In many a sally,
The brook flow'd unaltered,
The glen and the valley
Still stood in their pride;
But “The Friends of my Youth,
Ah! where are they?” I falter'd—
“Where are they?—where are they?”
An Echo replied!
When years had departed,
To my haunts in the wild-wood,
With fondness I came;
But though hope smil'd before me,
I felt heavy-hearted;
One sad thought came o'er me,
Ah! were they the same?
In many a sally,
The brook flow'd unaltered,
163
Still stood in their pride;
But “The Friends of my Youth,
Ah! where are they?” I falter'd—
“Where are they?—where are they?”
An Echo replied!
Mute Nature still flourished
In all her first beauty;
But the fond hearts that nourish'd
My young hopes had flown;
The ties I had cherish'd,
Of Friendship and duty,
With them sadly perished,
For ever were gone!
And, ere scarce pass'd over
Youth's few years of sorrow,
For me some lone rover
In Friendship may sigh;
“Where is he? the Bard
Whose wild strains cheer'd each morrow!”
“Where is he?—where is he?”
Will Echo reply!
In all her first beauty;
But the fond hearts that nourish'd
My young hopes had flown;
The ties I had cherish'd,
Of Friendship and duty,
With them sadly perished,
For ever were gone!
And, ere scarce pass'd over
Youth's few years of sorrow,
For me some lone rover
In Friendship may sigh;
“Where is he? the Bard
Whose wild strains cheer'd each morrow!”
“Where is he?—where is he?”
Will Echo reply!
| Poems | |