 | Poems |  |
138
AURORA BOREALIS.
Can one behold the Northern Light,
And feel no wonder at the sight?
Its meteor columns flashing bright,
Nor ask the cause?
Nor feel instinctively the might
Of Nature's laws?
And feel no wonder at the sight?
Its meteor columns flashing bright,
Nor ask the cause?
Nor feel instinctively the might
Of Nature's laws?
In savage wilds, where I have strayed,
At night beside the watch-fire laid,
Wrap'd in my blanket, I 've surveyed
The sky sublime,
And seen 'midst stellar lights displayed
Arcturus climb.
At night beside the watch-fire laid,
Wrap'd in my blanket, I 've surveyed
The sky sublime,
And seen 'midst stellar lights displayed
Arcturus climb.
Marking the constellations rise,
That oft attract my roaming eyes
When traversing the spangled skies,
I 've pondered o'er
The strange and wild imageries
Of heathen lore.
That oft attract my roaming eyes
When traversing the spangled skies,
I 've pondered o'er
The strange and wild imageries
Of heathen lore.
The Milky Way, that wondrous girth
That seems afar to compass earth;
Or from the chambers of the North,
Where Science tires,
Seen issuing high and flashing forth
Those meteor fires.
That seems afar to compass earth;
Or from the chambers of the North,
Where Science tires,
Seen issuing high and flashing forth
Those meteor fires.
Imagination, busy, fed
Upon the scene, and fancied
Some mighty hosts to battle led
Among the stars—
Of warlike spirits banished
From earthly wars.
Upon the scene, and fancied
Some mighty hosts to battle led
Among the stars—
Of warlike spirits banished
From earthly wars.
Those mystic lights were signals shown
To guide the hosts to battle on,
In fields to mortal ken unknown,
Beyond that bourn
Which mortals pass, but never one
Has made return.
To guide the hosts to battle on,
139
Beyond that bourn
Which mortals pass, but never one
Has made return.
Then Fancy with her magic spell
Has ope'd my ears to listen well
The martial sounds that seemed to swell
Among the spheres,
As solemn as the funeral knell
Of nameless years.
Has ope'd my ears to listen well
The martial sounds that seemed to swell
Among the spheres,
As solemn as the funeral knell
Of nameless years.
O, what a field where thought may stray,
The starry skies at eve display!
Whose garniture shall ne'er decay
While time shall last,
While sombre eve with brilliant day
Shall well contrast.
The starry skies at eve display!
Whose garniture shall ne'er decay
While time shall last,
While sombre eve with brilliant day
Shall well contrast.
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