 | The Poetical Works of James Gates Percival |  |
DACTYLIC TETRAMETER.
Ever thou comest, at even and morn,—
Comest, attended with flute and with horn:
Over the mountain, and over the hill,
Lightly and brightly thou hoverest still.
All the gay rites of thy worship are gone;
All the bright train that once graced thee have flown:
Not even the fauns with their whistles would stay;
They too have fled through the forests away:
But thou, enchantress, still ever art nigh,—
Breathest, at even and dawn, from the sky.
Comest, attended with flute and with horn:
Over the mountain, and over the hill,
Lightly and brightly thou hoverest still.
All the gay rites of thy worship are gone;
All the bright train that once graced thee have flown:
Not even the fauns with their whistles would stay;
They too have fled through the forests away:
But thou, enchantress, still ever art nigh,—
Breathest, at even and dawn, from the sky.
Softly the west-wind now wafts thee along,—
Wafts over meadow and valley thy song:
Then the wild songster is hushed at thy flight;
Silent he pauses, entranced in delight.
Naiads have vanished from fountain and stream;
Nymph of the forest has fled, like a dream;
Down in the depth of the blue-rolling deep,
Pillowed for ever, the sea-maidens sleep:
Spirit of melody! still thou art nigh,—
Breathest, at even and dawn, from the sky.
Wafts over meadow and valley thy song:
Then the wild songster is hushed at thy flight;
Silent he pauses, entranced in delight.
Naiads have vanished from fountain and stream;
Nymph of the forest has fled, like a dream;
Down in the depth of the blue-rolling deep,
Pillowed for ever, the sea-maidens sleep:
Spirit of melody! still thou art nigh,—
Breathest, at even and dawn, from the sky.
| The Poetical Works of James Gates Percival | |