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GOLDEN RULES IN RHYME.
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 | Poems by Frances Sargent Osgood |  |
193
GOLDEN RULES IN RHYME.
FROM A MATRON TO A MAIDEN.
“While I touch the string,
Wreathe my brows with laurel;
For the song I sing
Has for once a moral!”—
Moore.
Wreathe my brows with laurel;
For the song I sing
Has for once a moral!”—
Moore.
Come listen, while, in careless rhyme,
Some golden rules I give you,
That you may hoard the wealth of Time
And life may not deceive you.
Some golden rules I give you,
That you may hoard the wealth of Time
And life may not deceive you.
In childhood's hours, when in the sun
Our sportive group assembled,
And off our frail pipes, one by one,
The glittering bubbles trembled;
Our sportive group assembled,
And off our frail pipes, one by one,
The glittering bubbles trembled;
If mine with lovelier lustre shone,
Or higher soar'd,—what trouble!
My brother, leaving all his own,
Blew out my beaming bubble!
Or higher soar'd,—what trouble!
My brother, leaving all his own,
Blew out my beaming bubble!
194
And thus the world—when young Romance
Her airy dreams is weaving,
And Hope's soft rainbows round them dance,
As radiant as deceiving—
Her airy dreams is weaving,
And Hope's soft rainbows round them dance,
As radiant as deceiving—
Thus will the world, my child, destroy,
With treachery more refined,
The soaring dreams of love and joy,
The bubbles of the mind!
With treachery more refined,
The soaring dreams of love and joy,
The bubbles of the mind!
Then yet in time a lesson learn,
From one who learn'd too late,
That world, whose laugh we laugh to scorn,
Her fiat here is fate!
From one who learn'd too late,
That world, whose laugh we laugh to scorn,
Her fiat here is fate!
When honour, placed in reason's scales,
Outweighs THE OWL'S opinion,
All free and fearless, trim your sails,
And steer for heaven's dominion!
Outweighs THE OWL'S opinion,
All free and fearless, trim your sails,
And steer for heaven's dominion!
But still in trifles, where no wrong
Can come of yielding to her,
Oh! chord with hers your careless song,
And of her smiles be sure!
Can come of yielding to her,
Oh! chord with hers your careless song,
And of her smiles be sure!
195
When Love would fling his flowery net
Around your joyous spirit,
Ask not for rank, or wealth, or wit,
But yield to manly merit.
Around your joyous spirit,
Ask not for rank, or wealth, or wit,
But yield to manly merit.
Remember—Love but seldom strings
His flowers on golden wire;
Remember—Wit has wanton wings,
That might put out his fire.
His flowers on golden wire;
Remember—Wit has wanton wings,
That might put out his fire.
Your heart be like a stainless glass,
Where fleeting, outward graces
But lend their beauty as they pass,
And leave behind no traces;
Where fleeting, outward graces
But lend their beauty as they pass,
And leave behind no traces;
On which—its subtle nature's such,
The gem of gems—in glory—
The diamond, with its lightning touch,
Alone can write love's story.
The gem of gems—in glory—
The diamond, with its lightning touch,
Alone can write love's story.
As to the moon, the ocean's tide
Subjects its strength unruly,
So let a light from heaven, love, guide
The tide of passion truly.
Subjects its strength unruly,
So let a light from heaven, love, guide
The tide of passion truly.
196
If sorrow come—resist it not,
Nor yet bow weakly to it;
Look up to meet the heaven-sent storm;
But see the rainbow through it!
Nor yet bow weakly to it;
Look up to meet the heaven-sent storm;
But see the rainbow through it!
And let not pleasure's reckless hands
Too often shake time's glass, love:
At best, the few and priceless sands
Too surely, swiftly pass, love!
Too often shake time's glass, love:
At best, the few and priceless sands
Too surely, swiftly pass, love!
And seek not bliss on airy heights,
Where dizzy power doth rally!
The “fragrant little heart's-ease” lights
The lowliest, humblest valley.
Where dizzy power doth rally!
The “fragrant little heart's-ease” lights
The lowliest, humblest valley.
The gem that clasps a royal robe
The worldling's eye may dazzle,
But Love will light his glow-worm lamp
In cot as well as castle.
The worldling's eye may dazzle,
But Love will light his glow-worm lamp
In cot as well as castle.
The magic flower in Erin's Isle,
That bears about a blessing,
Perchance is but good-humour's smile,
A kindly heart's caressing.
That bears about a blessing,
Perchance is but good-humour's smile,
A kindly heart's caressing.
197
If comes a blow, from friend or foe,
With earnest good avenge it;
“The sandal-tree, with fragrant sigh,
Perfumes the axe that rends it.”
With earnest good avenge it;
“The sandal-tree, with fragrant sigh,
Perfumes the axe that rends it.”
Be like the sun, whose eye of joy
Ne'er on a shadow lay, love!
Be like the rill that singeth still,
Whate'er be in its way, love!
Ne'er on a shadow lay, love!
Be like the rill that singeth still,
Whate'er be in its way, love!
Ne'er waste your heart in vain regret,
Though youth be dimm'd by care;
“For lovelier flowers than summer wreathes
May twine in winter's hair.”
Though youth be dimm'd by care;
“For lovelier flowers than summer wreathes
May twine in winter's hair.”
With childlike trust look forward still,
For heaven is always near;
“Full oft our very fear of ill
Exceeds the ill we fear.”
For heaven is always near;
“Full oft our very fear of ill
Exceeds the ill we fear.”
Nor question Fate! the world-ship still
Under seal'd orders sailing;
'Twere best the great Commander's skill
To trust with faith unfailing.
Under seal'd orders sailing;
'Twere best the great Commander's skill
To trust with faith unfailing.
198
Nor idly waste the golden hours,
The plumes of Time's swift wings:
The watch must still be wound to work,
Or rust corrodes its springs.
The plumes of Time's swift wings:
The watch must still be wound to work,
Or rust corrodes its springs.
If once a purpose pure and high
You form, for naught forego it!
“The mulberry leaf to silk is changed
By patience,” says the poet.
You form, for naught forego it!
“The mulberry leaf to silk is changed
By patience,” says the poet.
Let Fancy fly her fairy kite,
And light with wit its wing, dear;
But oh, lest it go out of sight,
Bid Reason hold the string, dear.
And light with wit its wing, dear;
But oh, lest it go out of sight,
Bid Reason hold the string, dear.
For, soaring where the poet's heaven
With starry gems is spangled,
It might, by Folly's zephyr driven,
In moonshine get entangled.
With starry gems is spangled,
It might, by Folly's zephyr driven,
In moonshine get entangled.
Yet sneer not thou at those who rise
To loftier delusions;
“Great truths are oft,” the sage replies,
“Foreshadow'd by illusions.”
To loftier delusions;
“Great truths are oft,” the sage replies,
“Foreshadow'd by illusions.”
199
Confide in Friendship's right good-will,
But not too often task it;
“It is the highest price we pay
For any thing, to ask it.”
But not too often task it;
“It is the highest price we pay
For any thing, to ask it.”
If Nature's glorious overture
Discordant seem to be, love,
Be sure your heart is out of tune,
And try the sounding key, love!
Discordant seem to be, love,
Be sure your heart is out of tune,
And try the sounding key, love!
Let more than the domestic mill
Be turn'd by Feeling's river;
Let Charity “begin at home,”
But not stay there for ever.
Be turn'd by Feeling's river;
Let Charity “begin at home,”
But not stay there for ever.
Look on the poor with pitying eyes,
And “reason not the need;”
For angels in that mean disguise
May often ask their meed.
And “reason not the need;”
For angels in that mean disguise
May often ask their meed.
But if a debt by honour seal'd
Uncancell'd yet remain,
Oh, ne'er to generous impulse yield
What Justice asks in vain!
Uncancell'd yet remain,
Oh, ne'er to generous impulse yield
What Justice asks in vain!
200
Be frank and pure, and brave and true,—
True to thyself and heaven;
And be thy friends, the gifted few;
And be thy foes forgiven.
True to thyself and heaven;
And be thy friends, the gifted few;
And be thy foes forgiven.
And hold thyself so dear, so high,
That evil come not near thee,
That meanness dare not meet thine eye,
And falsehood fly and fear thee!
That evil come not near thee,
That meanness dare not meet thine eye,
And falsehood fly and fear thee!
Shrink not to aim the shafts of wit
At all that's mean or narrow;
But oh, before you bend the bow,
Be sure it holds the arrow!
At all that's mean or narrow;
But oh, before you bend the bow,
Be sure it holds the arrow!
Command your temper, guard your tongue,
Lest they have sway undue;
For deeds, not words, the bell be rung,
Which fame may ring for you!
Lest they have sway undue;
For deeds, not words, the bell be rung,
Which fame may ring for you!
And so, if from my careless rhyme,
You cull the rose of Reason,
I have not wasted all my time,
But said “a word in season.”
You cull the rose of Reason,
I have not wasted all my time,
But said “a word in season.”
| Poems by Frances Sargent Osgood | |