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 | Poems by Frances Sargent Osgood |  |
77
THE MAGIC PRISM.
How softly, how softly, oh! maiden, they shine,
Through poetry's prism, those colours divine!
Array'd in their beauty, illumed by their beams,
How fair to thy spirit, life's sunny way seems!
Ah! Fancy—the fairy—has met thee to-day,
And hers is the toy thou art taking away!
Keep, keep it for ever, that talisman rare;
Nor yield it to time, to misfortune or care!
Dim shapes, in the distance, of evil, arise;
Thou see'st not, thou fear'st not, enchanted thine eyes!
Through poetry's prism, those colours divine!
Array'd in their beauty, illumed by their beams,
How fair to thy spirit, life's sunny way seems!
Ah! Fancy—the fairy—has met thee to-day,
And hers is the toy thou art taking away!
Keep, keep it for ever, that talisman rare;
Nor yield it to time, to misfortune or care!
Dim shapes, in the distance, of evil, arise;
Thou see'st not, thou fear'st not, enchanted thine eyes!
And while through the magical prism they gaze,
Those phantoms will hide from its beautiful rays;
But once let it fall, and around thee they throng,
With the serpent's cold hiss, and the siren's wild song.
Those phantoms will hide from its beautiful rays;
But once let it fall, and around thee they throng,
With the serpent's cold hiss, and the siren's wild song.
Nay! dash from the hands the false prism for ever,
And brave the dark trial with lofty endeavour!
Gird on the stern armour of courage and truth,
Now, now in the bloom of thy beautiful youth!
With resolute purpose, prepared for the strife,
Go forth, frank and wise, to the battle of life!
Give back to gay fancy the prism you stole,
And wear for thy guerdon, God's smile in thy soul;
And the darker the earth-night that smile shall illume,
The fairer in heaven thy pure life shall bloom!
And brave the dark trial with lofty endeavour!
78
Now, now in the bloom of thy beautiful youth!
With resolute purpose, prepared for the strife,
Go forth, frank and wise, to the battle of life!
Give back to gay fancy the prism you stole,
And wear for thy guerdon, God's smile in thy soul;
And the darker the earth-night that smile shall illume,
The fairer in heaven thy pure life shall bloom!
| Poems by Frances Sargent Osgood | |