 | [Poems by Payne in] John Howard Payne ... his life and writings |  |
299
VALEDICTORY.
[_]
This poem was written at Boston, in 1805, when the author first quitted his home, and the academy in which he had been educated, for New York. The author's father, Mr. William Payne, was the founder and director of the seminary alluded to, which was known by the title of “Berry-Street Academy.”
O Time! forgive the infant muse
Who dares to sing thy speedy flight,
And waft a sigh in silent views
To realms of permanent delight!
In vain I glance a wistful thought
O'er joys too precious to be bought,
Where no sad change
Can e'er estrange
From scenes which erst engaged my feeling heart.
Who dares to sing thy speedy flight,
And waft a sigh in silent views
To realms of permanent delight!
In vain I glance a wistful thought
O'er joys too precious to be bought,
Where no sad change
Can e'er estrange
From scenes which erst engaged my feeling heart.
With fond remembrance I retrace
The years, the months, the weeks, the days,
Which “creeping in this petty space,”
I've spent in childhood's blithesome maze:
Now fled, like Ganges' sacred stream,
Or, like a visionary dream;
Now here—now gone—
Still passing on,
Or, like myself—appears but to depart!
The years, the months, the weeks, the days,
Which “creeping in this petty space,”
I've spent in childhood's blithesome maze:
Now fled, like Ganges' sacred stream,
Or, like a visionary dream;
Now here—now gone—
Still passing on,
Or, like myself—appears but to depart!
Friends of my life, and dearest held,
My filial vows to you I pay,
By love and duty both impell'd
While, from your guidance call'd, I stray,
With lively gratitude inspired;—
May all the bliss to be desired
On you descend
Till time shall end,
And crown the wish convey'd in my adieu!
My filial vows to you I pay,
By love and duty both impell'd
While, from your guidance call'd, I stray,
With lively gratitude inspired;—
May all the bliss to be desired
On you descend
Till time shall end,
And crown the wish convey'd in my adieu!
300
Still, fond rememb'rance, ling'ring, dwells
O'er my lov'd ALMA'S nurt'ring shade,
And painful recollection swells:
The clust'ring branches there display'd,
While nursed in Science' lib'ral store,
And fed with literary lore—
Oh, may they still
Thy vot'ries fill,
And they, like me, shall own their debt to you.
O'er my lov'd ALMA'S nurt'ring shade,
And painful recollection swells:
The clust'ring branches there display'd,
While nursed in Science' lib'ral store,
And fed with literary lore—
Oh, may they still
Thy vot'ries fill,
And they, like me, shall own their debt to you.
[At the age of thirteen.]
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