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441
The Child's Dream of Reaching the Horizon
A child beheld the o'er arching heaven,
Where earth blends with the sky;
And longed to reach the blissful spot,
It seemed to him so nigh.
Where earth blends with the sky;
And longed to reach the blissful spot,
It seemed to him so nigh.
All night he could not sleep a wink,
As on his bed he lay;
And a bright day in June beheld
The dreamer on his way.
As on his bed he lay;
And a bright day in June beheld
The dreamer on his way.
Not e'en his parents did he tell
For what, and where he went;
Lest they should laugh his thoughts to scorn,
And his fond hopes prevent.
For what, and where he went;
Lest they should laugh his thoughts to scorn,
And his fond hopes prevent.
Thus onward, on a summer's morn,
To earth's fair bound he sped;
And yet whene'er he reached the spot,
The blissful vision fled.
To earth's fair bound he sped;
And yet whene'er he reached the spot,
The blissful vision fled.
It was not where the hill he climbed,
Nor on the meadow green;
Nor where on the horizon's line,
The silver brook was seen.
Nor on the meadow green;
Nor where on the horizon's line,
The silver brook was seen.
Nor where the forest's branches waved,
And the birds sang so sweet;
He came; but reached not there the place,
Where heaven and earth did meet.
And the birds sang so sweet;
He came; but reached not there the place,
Where heaven and earth did meet.
Ah, many a weary mile he went
To reach the bending sky,
But found at last 'twas still afar,
What he had dreamed so nigh.
To reach the bending sky,
But found at last 'twas still afar,
What he had dreamed so nigh.
Some laborers found the wandering child,
And homeward turned his face;
With slow, and toilsome steps once more
His path did he retrace.
And homeward turned his face;
With slow, and toilsome steps once more
His path did he retrace.
442
Glad were his parents, when at eve,
He safely reached his home;
But sad the child; the dream had fled,
Which called his feet to roam!
He safely reached his home;
But sad the child; the dream had fled,
Which called his feet to roam!
Poem No. 2; c. 2 September 1871
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