 | The battle of Niagara |  |
And those who heard him as he leant
Upon its lonely wires, and sent
His agitated voice away,
In feeling's broken roundelay—
Would wonder—weep—and hold their breath,
As if they heard the hymn of death:
And when the spell was broken—gone—
Its sad enchantment all withdrawn—
Would smile to see the trembling tear
On other downcast lids appear—
Nor e'er suspect themselves had given
A tribute to these sounds of heaven!
And all who heard him then, believed
That he had loved—and been deceived:
Or seen the stooping willow wave
Its tresses o'er a loved one's grave:
For such his melancholy song,
That every listener's heart was weeping
Like youthful lovers, when they're sleeping
In sorrows that they would prolong.
Upon its lonely wires, and sent
His agitated voice away,
In feeling's broken roundelay—
Would wonder—weep—and hold their breath,
As if they heard the hymn of death:
And when the spell was broken—gone—
Its sad enchantment all withdrawn—
Would smile to see the trembling tear
On other downcast lids appear—
Nor e'er suspect themselves had given
A tribute to these sounds of heaven!
And all who heard him then, believed
That he had loved—and been deceived:
Or seen the stooping willow wave
Its tresses o'er a loved one's grave:
For such his melancholy song,
That every listener's heart was weeping
Like youthful lovers, when they're sleeping
In sorrows that they would prolong.
| The battle of Niagara | |