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Norman's Rocks
Along the base of Norman's Rocks
I stroll, as when a boy;
Or climb their steep and craggy sides
The prospect to enjoy;
I stroll, as when a boy;
Or climb their steep and craggy sides
The prospect to enjoy;
Or feel the cool, refreshing breeze,
Which round their summit plays;
And makes this hill a favorite haunt,
In the warm Summer days.
Which round their summit plays;
And makes this hill a favorite haunt,
In the warm Summer days.
This pleasant height a prospect gives
O'er fields, and pastures green;
While, on the far horizon's line,
The ocean's blue is seen.
O'er fields, and pastures green;
While, on the far horizon's line,
The ocean's blue is seen.
Below, the city stretches far,
With many a shady street;
And all its homes, and gardens fair
Lie smiling at its feet.
With many a shady street;
And all its homes, and gardens fair
Lie smiling at its feet.
More beautiful to me the scene,
Than painter's canvass shows;
For this in memory's brightest hues,
And fancy's colors glows.
Than painter's canvass shows;
For this in memory's brightest hues,
And fancy's colors glows.
Here did I climb, when Spring returned,
To pluck her earliest flowers;
Or mid the golden woodwax play,
In Summer's sultry hours.
To pluck her earliest flowers;
Or mid the golden woodwax play,
In Summer's sultry hours.
454
Here picked the barberry's bunches red,
When Autumn time had come;
Or sought the bitter-sweet to deck
With gay festoons my home.
When Autumn time had come;
Or sought the bitter-sweet to deck
With gay festoons my home.
Though to the scene the musing mind
Doth its own coloring give;
Yet doth the prospect charm the more,
The longer still I live.
Doth its own coloring give;
Yet doth the prospect charm the more,
The longer still I live.
The lichens clinging to the rocks,
The moss forever green,
The saxifrage, with milk-white flowers,
The first in childhood seen;
The moss forever green,
The saxifrage, with milk-white flowers,
The first in childhood seen;
Still many a pleasing lesson have,
As on their leaves I pore;
New beauties charm in manhood's prime,
Ne'er seen in years before.
As on their leaves I pore;
New beauties charm in manhood's prime,
Ne'er seen in years before.
For Science opens wide her book,
And bids her children read,
With wonder filled the hidden life
In flower and plant and seed.
And bids her children read,
With wonder filled the hidden life
In flower and plant and seed.
And still the varying seasons bring
An ever new delight;
As from these cliffs I look around
On each familiar sight;
An ever new delight;
As from these cliffs I look around
On each familiar sight;
A picture that can never fade,
While life and memory last;
Made soft and fair by loveliest hues,
Reflected from the past.
While life and memory last;
Made soft and fair by loveliest hues,
Reflected from the past.
Poem No. 35; c. 20 June 1873
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