 | [Poems by Drake in] The life and works of Joseph Rodman Drake (1795-1820) |  |
277
Lines to A Lady
'Twas like the poet's dreaming land,
Where fairies tread the moonlight lea,
Where sea-nymphs deck the silvery strand,
And spirits breathe in melody.
Where fairies tread the moonlight lea,
Where sea-nymphs deck the silvery strand,
And spirits breathe in melody.
The vesper dews were on the wold,
The western planet of the day
Had lit his glittering lamp of gold
In twilight's dim departing ray.
The western planet of the day
Had lit his glittering lamp of gold
In twilight's dim departing ray.
'Twas sweet to see the pale moon weep,
O'er the blue wave her tears of light,
And list across the swelling deep,
The whisper of the winds of night.
O'er the blue wave her tears of light,
And list across the swelling deep,
The whisper of the winds of night.
Borne on the gale of evening mild,
The soul of music floating came,
Notes that might sooth despair's lorn child,
Or light devotion's hallowed dream.
The soul of music floating came,
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Or light devotion's hallowed dream.
Now swelling high in choral song,
It seemed the seraph's hymn of praise;
Now in swift accents swept along,
The green-haired mermaids' thrilling lays.
It seemed the seraph's hymn of praise;
Now in swift accents swept along,
The green-haired mermaids' thrilling lays.
Now murmuring low it sunk remote,
Soft as the dying cygnet's wail,
Or songs of moonlight fays that float
On wings of woven air through some enchanted vale.
Soft as the dying cygnet's wail,
Or songs of moonlight fays that float
On wings of woven air through some enchanted vale.
Such was the night! Dost thou, like me
Recall the scene with fond regret?
Lives in thine ear that minstrelsy,
And on thine eye that moonbeam yet?
Recall the scene with fond regret?
Lives in thine ear that minstrelsy,
And on thine eye that moonbeam yet?
| [Poems by Drake in] The life and works of Joseph Rodman Drake (1795-1820) | |