 | A Wreath of Wild Flowers From New England |  |
138
THE SPOILT PUPIL OF FANCY.
I do not love the teacher,
I do not love the school;
I cannot bear to talk, and walk,
And look, and smile, by rule.
I do not love the school;
I cannot bear to talk, and walk,
And look, and smile, by rule.
Oh! such a stupid lesson
As I have learned to-day,
About that tiresome prism,
And the sun's refracted ray.
As I have learned to-day,
About that tiresome prism,
And the sun's refracted ray.
I'd rather watch the rainbow,
In coloured light arrayed,
Than study how it came there,
Or how its arch was made.
In coloured light arrayed,
Than study how it came there,
Or how its arch was made.
I'd rather play with flowers,
Beside the fountain free,
Or in our garden bowers,
Where they always smile on me.
Beside the fountain free,
Or in our garden bowers,
Where they always smile on me.
139
While they glory in the sunshine,
While they revel in the air,
What for their long, hard Latin names
Do glowing roses care?
While they revel in the air,
What for their long, hard Latin names
Do glowing roses care?
My teacher tears their leaves apart,
Their order—class—to know;
I wonder she can have the heart
To treat a blossom so!
Their order—class—to know;
I wonder she can have the heart
To treat a blossom so!
Once, if a flower were dying,
On a sultry summer's day,
I could hear its spirit sighing
Her balmy life away!
On a sultry summer's day,
I could hear its spirit sighing
Her balmy life away!
And now, alas! must Learning's lamp
The lovely dream consume;
And haughty hum-drum Reason
Must dim my bower's bloom!
The lovely dream consume;
And haughty hum-drum Reason
Must dim my bower's bloom!
I hate my teazing teacher,
I hate to learn by rule;
I had a pleasanter governess
Before I went to school!
I hate to learn by rule;
I had a pleasanter governess
Before I went to school!
140
She taught me prettier lessons—
And easier too by far;
She bade me think the silver moon
A warbling seraph's car.
And easier too by far;
She bade me think the silver moon
A warbling seraph's car.
And when I saw it gliding slow
The wreathed clouds amid,
And caught the gleam of spirit-steeds,
That pawed the heavens half-hid;
The wreathed clouds amid,
And caught the gleam of spirit-steeds,
That pawed the heavens half-hid;
While round them softly glistened
The starry train of fire;
How earnestly I listened
To hear the heavenly choir!
The starry train of fire;
How earnestly I listened
To hear the heavenly choir!
She said, the sunny rainbow
Was a band of brilliant flowers,
Linking heaven and earth together
In the lovely summer hours!
Was a band of brilliant flowers,
Linking heaven and earth together
In the lovely summer hours!
By cherub fingers braided,
In haunts of bliss above,
And flung in angel-play to earth,
A token of their love!
In haunts of bliss above,
And flung in angel-play to earth,
A token of their love!
141
But now, instead of looking
For the violet divine,
For the heaven-born tulip's glory,
And the rose's blush benign;
For the violet divine,
For the heaven-born tulip's glory,
And the rose's blush benign;
For the tears and smiles of cherubs
Shed o'er that garland gay,—
I shall think of the rain-drop prism,
And the sun's refracted ray!
Shed o'er that garland gay,—
I shall think of the rain-drop prism,
And the sun's refracted ray!
Oh! a thousand lovely lessons
My playmate taught of yore;
And a thousand thrilling sights I saw
Which I shall see no more.
My playmate taught of yore;
And a thousand thrilling sights I saw
Which I shall see no more.
For Fancy was my teacher's name—
A frolic sprite was she,—
She bore me on her wings to heaven,
She led me through the sea.
A frolic sprite was she,—
She bore me on her wings to heaven,
She led me through the sea.
There marked I many a floating hall,
By coral columns graced;
And many a dim sea-vision
Through the crystal walls I traced.
By coral columns graced;
And many a dim sea-vision
Through the crystal walls I traced.
142
I traced them by the dazzling light
Of jewels rich and rare,
That hung in garlands round about,
And made a glory there.
Of jewels rich and rare,
That hung in garlands round about,
And made a glory there.
The walls were all of crystal,
But the sea waves were the floor;
And ocean-sylphs were gliding
Its gleamy surface o'er.
But the sea waves were the floor;
And ocean-sylphs were gliding
Its gleamy surface o'er.
Between the rosy pillars,
Some gaily darting by,
In curved shells of varied hue,
Their pearly oars did ply.
Some gaily darting by,
In curved shells of varied hue,
Their pearly oars did ply.
Some were their ringlets wreathing
With strange and gleaming flowers;
Plucked by the gold-fish's fitful light.
In ocean's darkling bowers.
With strange and gleaming flowers;
Plucked by the gold-fish's fitful light.
In ocean's darkling bowers.
Ah! many a scene beyond the stars,
Of rapture pure and free,
And many a dim sea-vision
Did I and Fancy see!
Of rapture pure and free,
And many a dim sea-vision
Did I and Fancy see!
143
But we must part for ever,
My playmate sweet and I,—
She to some heart as wild as mine—
I to Reality!
My playmate sweet and I,—
She to some heart as wild as mine—
I to Reality!
| A Wreath of Wild Flowers From New England | |