Poetical works of the late F. Sayers to which have been prefixed the connected disquisitions on the rise and progress of English poetry, and on English metres, and also some biographic particulars of the author, supplied by W. Taylor |
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ODE TO A FLY. |
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 | Poetical works of the late F. Sayers |  |
176
ODE TO A FLY.
Gay child of summer, who, on burnish'd wings,
Unceasing ply'st thy brisk and mazy flight,
Tasting with rapture all that nature flings
Profusely round—still courting new delight;
Unceasing ply'st thy brisk and mazy flight,
Tasting with rapture all that nature flings
Profusely round—still courting new delight;
Come, in thine airy dance, and freely sip
The clear juice sparkling to my thirsty lip;
And wheeling sportive o'er my tempting board,
Cull the red nectarine for thy luscious meal,
Or from the peach its pulp of fragrance steal,
And calmly rifle autumn's choicest hoard.
The clear juice sparkling to my thirsty lip;
And wheeling sportive o'er my tempting board,
Cull the red nectarine for thy luscious meal,
Or from the peach its pulp of fragrance steal,
And calmly rifle autumn's choicest hoard.
Then buzzing haste thee to the sunny field,
Or drink the perfume that the moorlands yield;
Or swiftly to some flowery vale repair,
There jocund float adown the dimpling stream,
And meet thy brethren in the setting beam,
And bathe thy ebon sides in purple air.
Or drink the perfume that the moorlands yield;
Or swiftly to some flowery vale repair,
There jocund float adown the dimpling stream,
And meet thy brethren in the setting beam,
And bathe thy ebon sides in purple air.
While thoughtless sailing on the scented gale,
Beware you slimy threads, the woof of death,
The speckled spider will empierce thy mail,
And quench thy spirit with his tainted breath.
Beware you slimy threads, the woof of death,
The speckled spider will empierce thy mail,
And quench thy spirit with his tainted breath.
177
O, may no tempest shade thy mirthful day,
Nor dash those filmy wings with whelming rain!
O, may no feather'd foe molest thy way,
And fluttering bear thee to his infant train!
Nor dash those filmy wings with whelming rain!
O, may no feather'd foe molest thy way,
And fluttering bear thee to his infant train!
May no fierce inmate of the curled brook,
While o'er his head thou speed'st thy circling flight,
Snatch thee unheeding to his watery nook,
And ruthless force thee from the chearful light.
While o'er his head thou speed'st thy circling flight,
Snatch thee unheeding to his watery nook,
And ruthless force thee from the chearful light.
Long, long may summer lengthen out thy year,
And spare a life so bright with varied joy,
A little life, that glides uncheck'd by fear,
Tho' chilling winter hovers to destroy.
And spare a life so bright with varied joy,
A little life, that glides uncheck'd by fear,
Tho' chilling winter hovers to destroy.
How different man—he forms the lowering cloud
Of gloomy care his happier hours to shroud,
Fixing on doubtful ill his restless eye;
How wiser far, like thee, with gladsome heart,
To catch the transport Nature's gifts impart,
And frolic fearless of futurity.
Of gloomy care his happier hours to shroud,
Fixing on doubtful ill his restless eye;
How wiser far, like thee, with gladsome heart,
To catch the transport Nature's gifts impart,
And frolic fearless of futurity.
| Poetical works of the late F. Sayers | |