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355
The King's Arm Chair
Steep cliff, round which a child I played,
Or climbed to view the prospect o'er;
Where hour by hour I frequent stayed;
Thou wear'st not now thy look of yore!
Or climbed to view the prospect o'er;
Where hour by hour I frequent stayed;
Thou wear'st not now thy look of yore!
For man, by many a blast, has torn
Thy hoary moss-grown front away;
And at thy feet the fragments borne,
Like some vast ruin strew the way.
Thy hoary moss-grown front away;
And at thy feet the fragments borne,
Like some vast ruin strew the way.
But still, as in that day, I see
Thy bold steep forehead gainst the sky;
When round thy base I climbed in glee,
Till gained the lofty summit high.
Thy bold steep forehead gainst the sky;
When round thy base I climbed in glee,
Till gained the lofty summit high.
There, seated in the King's arm chair,
I loved the landscape round to view;
The busy streets and houses fair,
The harbor with its waters blue.
I loved the landscape round to view;
The busy streets and houses fair,
The harbor with its waters blue.
Before me spread the pastures green,
With hills and meadows far away;
Seaward the white-winged ships were seen,
Bound to their ports along the bay.
With hills and meadows far away;
Seaward the white-winged ships were seen,
Bound to their ports along the bay.
Beneath, I watched the living tide,
Swift hurrying on with ceaseless flow,
Along the smooth-worn turnpike wide,
And round thy jutting base below.
Swift hurrying on with ceaseless flow,
Along the smooth-worn turnpike wide,
And round thy jutting base below.
The wagon, chaise, or crowded stage,
By turns I watched as they came by,
The weary traveller bent with age,
Glad from the hill the town to spy.
By turns I watched as they came by,
The weary traveller bent with age,
Glad from the hill the town to spy.
Each hastening on with various mind,
Some far o'er land and sea to roam,
Sad for the friends they'd left behind;
While others joyed to reach their home.
Some far o'er land and sea to roam,
Sad for the friends they'd left behind;
While others joyed to reach their home.
356
By day, by night, the stream flowed on,
Like a full river to the sea;
Long since the lengthening train has gone,
A picture now of Memory!
Like a full river to the sea;
Long since the lengthening train has gone,
A picture now of Memory!
Whose power restores the past again,
The summer days, the golden flowers;
To soothe stern manhood's toil, or pain,
Or deck for age its leafless bowers.
The summer days, the golden flowers;
To soothe stern manhood's toil, or pain,
Or deck for age its leafless bowers.
In vain would man thy form destroy,
Or level thee e'en with the ground;
I see thee still, as when a boy,
And from the Arm Chair gaze around.
Or level thee e'en with the ground;
I see thee still, as when a boy,
And from the Arm Chair gaze around.
Poem No. 409–434; October 1862
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