The battle of Niagara second edition - enlarged : with other poems |
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THE MINSTREL'S SONG. |
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 | The battle of Niagara |  |
THE MINSTREL'S SONG.
Ye who would hear a mournful song,
Such as the desert bird may sing,
When sailing on her languid wing,
By sunny cliffs and lifeless woods—
And silent blooming solitudes—
And watery worlds—and cloudless hills—
Unmurmuring founts and sleeping rills—
She hears on high the distant note,
Of some sweet airy tune afloat—
That to the birds of heaven belong!
Such as the desert bird may sing,
When sailing on her languid wing,
By sunny cliffs and lifeless woods—
And silent blooming solitudes—
And watery worlds—and cloudless hills—
Unmurmuring founts and sleeping rills—
She hears on high the distant note,
Of some sweet airy tune afloat—
That to the birds of heaven belong!
Ye who have heard in the still of the night,
When the soul was abroad in her uppermost flight,
The whispering of trumpets and harps in the air;
Who have heard, when the rest of the world were asleep,
As ye sat all alone o'er the measureless deep,
The spirits of earth and of heaven at prayer!
When the stars of the air, and the stars of the water,
Were peaceful and bright as the innocent beam
That plays o'er the lid in its happiest dream:
When the song of the wind as it feebly arose,
With the gush of the fountain whose melody flows,
For hearts that awake when the world are at rest,
Came over your soul like the airs of the blest:
When ye thought ye could hear from the height of the sky
The musick of peace going tenderly by—
The girl ye had loved!—and the song ye had taught her!
When the soul was abroad in her uppermost flight,
The whispering of trumpets and harps in the air;
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As ye sat all alone o'er the measureless deep,
The spirits of earth and of heaven at prayer!
When the stars of the air, and the stars of the water,
Were peaceful and bright as the innocent beam
That plays o'er the lid in its happiest dream:
When the song of the wind as it feebly arose,
With the gush of the fountain whose melody flows,
For hearts that awake when the world are at rest,
Came over your soul like the airs of the blest:
When ye thought ye could hear from the height of the sky
The musick of peace going tenderly by—
The girl ye had loved!—and the song ye had taught her!
Ye who would love such airy songs,
As listening solitude prolongs,
When from the height of yon blue dome,
The moon-light trembles to the earth!
And angel melodies find birth;
And musick sighs in her echoless home!
As listening solitude prolongs,
When from the height of yon blue dome,
The moon-light trembles to the earth!
And angel melodies find birth;
And musick sighs in her echoless home!
Come ye and listen! I will sing
What led my senses wandering.
What led my senses wandering.
Or, would he hear the rending song
Bursting tumultuously along?
The challenge—charge—and pealing cry—
And shock of armies—when on high
Broad crimson banners flaunt the sky—
And sabres flash—and helmets ring—
And war—steeds neigh—and bugles sing—
When comes the shout, they fly!—they fly!
And echoing o'er the dark blue sky
The cannon's thunder rolls!
When all the heaven is rolling shade—
And lightnings stream from every blade
Revealing airy shapes, arrayed
In strife, with warrior-souls!
Bursting tumultuously along?
The challenge—charge—and pealing cry—
And shock of armies—when on high
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And sabres flash—and helmets ring—
And war—steeds neigh—and bugles sing—
When comes the shout, they fly!—they fly!
And echoing o'er the dark blue sky
The cannon's thunder rolls!
When all the heaven is rolling shade—
And lightnings stream from every blade
Revealing airy shapes, arrayed
In strife, with warrior-souls!
| The battle of Niagara | |