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373
The Voice of Nature in Youth And Age
With sights of beauty rare,
In earth, and sea, and air,
Nature invites her children aye to roam;
“Come, live”, she says, “with me,
A life unchecked and free,
And leave your home.”
In earth, and sea, and air,
Nature invites her children aye to roam;
“Come, live”, she says, “with me,
A life unchecked and free,
And leave your home.”
“Come, o'er the ocean rove,
Through flower-decked field and grove;
Come walk with me, nor longer idly pine;
With you my gifts I'll share
Of earth, and sea, and air;
For all are mine.”
Through flower-decked field and grove;
Come walk with me, nor longer idly pine;
With you my gifts I'll share
Of earth, and sea, and air;
For all are mine.”
Listening, youth leaves behind
His home, his parents kind;
And with a sense of freedom onward goes;
Long seems the summer's day,
And blooms along his way
The blushing rose.
His home, his parents kind;
And with a sense of freedom onward goes;
Long seems the summer's day,
And blooms along his way
The blushing rose.
And days and years pass by;
All things, in earth and sky,
To him are known. He nature's lord doth stand!
Her powers obey his will,
He flies, with magic skill,
O'er sea and land.
All things, in earth and sky,
To him are known. He nature's lord doth stand!
Her powers obey his will,
He flies, with magic skill,
O'er sea and land.
But o'er him comes a change!
No more he loves to range;
Nor power, nor knowledge will his soul suffice;
He backward turns his gaze,
And thoughts of other days
Bedew his eyes.
No more he loves to range;
Nor power, nor knowledge will his soul suffice;
He backward turns his gaze,
And thoughts of other days
Bedew his eyes.
Although with freedom blest,
His spirit longs for rest;
Longs for the friendships of life's early morn;
And memory brings to mind
The home of parents kind,
Where he was born.
His spirit longs for rest;
Longs for the friendships of life's early morn;
And memory brings to mind
The home of parents kind,
Where he was born.
374
There age shall soothe his grief,
And bring his soul relief
From care, and toil, and pain, that downward bend;
There Nature's voice doth seem,
As in his early dream,
Like human friend.
And bring his soul relief
From care, and toil, and pain, that downward bend;
There Nature's voice doth seem,
As in his early dream,
Like human friend.
Poem No. 843; c. 15 July 1864
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