 | Poems |  |
A SEASIDE REVERIE.
Aurora's sheen track fades along the sky,
And orient beams vermilion it in pride,
The crimson pendants from the vessel fly,
That o'er the blue wave doth serenely glide;
The rapid fury of the warring tide
Is hushed along the platted woodland shore,
And warbling larks through the blue ether ride,
Carolling their honied music as they soar
To those aerial fields, that wing ne'er fanned before.
And orient beams vermilion it in pride,
The crimson pendants from the vessel fly,
That o'er the blue wave doth serenely glide;
The rapid fury of the warring tide
Is hushed along the platted woodland shore,
And warbling larks through the blue ether ride,
Carolling their honied music as they soar
To those aerial fields, that wing ne'er fanned before.
Congenial nature in the banquet shares
Of renovated life, and living light,
Decks her fair brow, her robe of splendour wears,
And views, in time's clear mirror, with delight
The form, that gilds her votary's raptured sight;
The curlew joins the seagull in her glee,
The mock-bird carols from the wood-crowned height,
All living powers awake the jubilee,
Whose kingdom is the land, or bright and waveless sea.
Of renovated life, and living light,
Decks her fair brow, her robe of splendour wears,
And views, in time's clear mirror, with delight
The form, that gilds her votary's raptured sight;
The curlew joins the seagull in her glee,
The mock-bird carols from the wood-crowned height,
All living powers awake the jubilee,
Whose kingdom is the land, or bright and waveless sea.
107
Majestic Ocean! thy wide-rolling wave
Paths the dread course, and is the joyless home
Of the neglected sailor, or his grave;
Stern fate hath doomed him o'er the world to roam,
His pathway billowy, and his rocking dome
The bark, careering mid the lurid storm;
Maternal eld to watch his slumbers come
Not, O, nor greets his vacant eye the form,
That shone upon his visions when his heart was warm.
Paths the dread course, and is the joyless home
Of the neglected sailor, or his grave;
Stern fate hath doomed him o'er the world to roam,
His pathway billowy, and his rocking dome
The bark, careering mid the lurid storm;
Maternal eld to watch his slumbers come
Not, O, nor greets his vacant eye the form,
That shone upon his visions when his heart was warm.
He walks, with eagle-eye, the airy shrouds,
Whose infant foostep pressed the flowery field,
His dark canopy is the flood of clouds,
O'er whom affection did a mansion build,
And gratulate itself with fancies wild;
O! when the smiling mother saw the eye
Of childhood glow, and o'er the laughing weald
The fair child sport in glowing ecstasy,
Her clouded vision kenned not manhood's lowering sky.
Whose infant foostep pressed the flowery field,
His dark canopy is the flood of clouds,
O'er whom affection did a mansion build,
And gratulate itself with fancies wild;
O! when the smiling mother saw the eye
Of childhood glow, and o'er the laughing weald
The fair child sport in glowing ecstasy,
Her clouded vision kenned not manhood's lowering sky.
In the deep bosom of yon billowy flood
Lies many a jewel—many a form full dear,
The ardent votary of ideal good,
And the misanthropist with feelings sear;
O'er coral fields the reckless billows bear
The austere beauty, and wild libertine,
And o'er their unseen tomb no pearly tear
Is shed in sympathetic ruth divine,
No plaintive lay is sung, around no flowers entwine.
Lies many a jewel—many a form full dear,
The ardent votary of ideal good,
And the misanthropist with feelings sear;
O'er coral fields the reckless billows bear
The austere beauty, and wild libertine,
And o'er their unseen tomb no pearly tear
Is shed in sympathetic ruth divine,
No plaintive lay is sung, around no flowers entwine.
Wild youth, invested with the charms of heaven,
Revels in baseless dreams, and phantasies,
And woos a syren, till by furies driven,
He wakes encircled by the warring skies,
And agony succeeds his ecstasies;
Exulting hope is merged in dark despair,
The radiance of youthful fervour dies,
Withered is every scene that once was fair,
And fraught with poison the horrific simoom air.
Revels in baseless dreams, and phantasies,
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He wakes encircled by the warring skies,
And agony succeeds his ecstasies;
Exulting hope is merged in dark despair,
The radiance of youthful fervour dies,
Withered is every scene that once was fair,
And fraught with poison the horrific simoom air.
Wisdom is nurtured by the saddest scenes,
The restless waves, menacing wo and death,
Depict the soul, whose baseness never gleans
A wandering thought of grandeur from the breath
Of glory; oh! be mine the iron wreath
Of moveless honour, and unchanging vow,
That cannot crouch a heartless plea beneath
To scorn all faith, and wear a placid brow
Alone towards pampered guilt, whose tinselled vestures glow.
The restless waves, menacing wo and death,
Depict the soul, whose baseness never gleans
A wandering thought of grandeur from the breath
Of glory; oh! be mine the iron wreath
Of moveless honour, and unchanging vow,
That cannot crouch a heartless plea beneath
To scorn all faith, and wear a placid brow
Alone towards pampered guilt, whose tinselled vestures glow.
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