 | Naked Genius |  |
THE SWAN—VAIN PLEASURES.
The Swan, which boasted 'mid the tide,
Whose nest was guarded by the waves,
Floated for pleasure till she died,
And sunk beneath the flood to lave.
Whose nest was guarded by the waves,
Floated for pleasure till she died,
And sunk beneath the flood to lave.
The bird of fashion drops her wing;
The rose-bush now declines to bloom;
The gentle breezes of the Spring
No longer waft a sweet perfume.
The rose-bush now declines to bloom;
The gentle breezes of the Spring
No longer waft a sweet perfume.
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Fair beauty with those lovely eyes,
Withers along her vital stream;
Proud fortune leaves her throne and flies
From pleasure as a flattering dream.
Withers along her vital stream;
Proud fortune leaves her throne and flies
From pleasure as a flattering dream.
The eagle of exalted fame,
Which spread her pinions far to sail,
Struggled to fan his dying flame,
Till pleasure palled in every gale.
Which spread her pinions far to sail,
Struggled to fan his dying flame,
Till pleasure palled in every gale.
And gaudy mammon, sordid gain,
Whose plume has faded, once so gay,
Languishes 'mid her flowery train,
While pleasure flies like fumes away.
Whose plume has faded, once so gay,
Languishes 'mid her flowery train,
While pleasure flies like fumes away.
Vain pleasure, O how short to last,
Like leaves which quick to ashes burn,
Which kindle from the slightest blast,
And slight to nothing hence return.
Like leaves which quick to ashes burn,
Which kindle from the slightest blast,
And slight to nothing hence return.
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