 | Virginalia ; or, songs of my summer nights |  |
ATALA'S PRAYER.
“Alas! to die so young, when my heart is so full of love!”
—Chatraubriand.
—Chatraubriand.
Abba! when the morn is breaking
Through the Portals of the sky,
And the dappled Fawns are waking
In the Reed-Isles where they lie;
When the Roe-buck gazes wildly
At the Hunter in the even,
And the milky Moon looks mildly
From the azure depths of Heaven;
When the Turtle Doves are mourning
In the Rose-Isles of the sea,
And the stars above are burning—
Lift my spirit up to Thee!
Through the Portals of the sky,
And the dappled Fawns are waking
In the Reed-Isles where they lie;
When the Roe-buck gazes wildly
At the Hunter in the even,
And the milky Moon looks mildly
From the azure depths of Heaven;
When the Turtle Doves are mourning
In the Rose-Isles of the sea,
And the stars above are burning—
Lift my spirit up to Thee!
Abba! when the Fowls are laving
In the Fountains far away,
Where the Purple Hills are waving
In the Sunny Isles of Day;
When the Mocking-birds are singing
By the river-banks at noon,
And the Violet-bells are springing
From the Rosy-Hills in June;
When the Pigeons all are feeding
On the beech-mast by the sea,
And my bosom shall lie bleeding—
Lift my spirit up to Thee!
In the Fountains far away,
Where the Purple Hills are waving
In the Sunny Isles of Day;
When the Mocking-birds are singing
By the river-banks at noon,
And the Violet-bells are springing
From the Rosy-Hills in June;
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On the beech-mast by the sea,
And my bosom shall lie bleeding—
Lift my spirit up to Thee!
Abba! when the Reed is broken
That has borne me up when young,
And the last sad word is spoken
That shall tremble on my tongue;
When the Roe-buck comes to wander
From the Green Hills far away,
And my breaking heart grows fonder
For the Sunny Isles of Day;
When my Forest Home is taken,
And the Stranger bids me flee;
Abba! call me, Thy Forsaken—
Take my spirit home to Thee!
That has borne me up when young,
And the last sad word is spoken
That shall tremble on my tongue;
When the Roe-buck comes to wander
From the Green Hills far away,
And my breaking heart grows fonder
For the Sunny Isles of Day;
When my Forest Home is taken,
And the Stranger bids me flee;
Abba! call me, Thy Forsaken—
Take my spirit home to Thee!
Villa Allegra, Ga., March 13, 1836.
| Virginalia ; or, songs of my summer nights | |