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 MORNING. |
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 | Poetical works of the late F. Sayers |  |
156
ODE TO MORNING.
Bright is the eastern sky—Aurora mounts
In car dew-dropping, round her snowy breast
The rosy radiance plays
And sparkles o'er the deep.
In car dew-dropping, round her snowy breast
The rosy radiance plays
And sparkles o'er the deep.
Hence, dreary darkness, to the caves of death,
Hence, ye fell ghosts, whose fearful shapes have sail'd
Across my lonely couch,
When blackest midnight reign'd.
Hence, ye fell ghosts, whose fearful shapes have sail'd
Across my lonely couch,
When blackest midnight reign'd.
Bring me the lyre, and while I strike the chords
Strew odorous flowers around—hail! goddess, hail!
Hail to the living ray
Which gilds the dusky earth!
Strew odorous flowers around—hail! goddess, hail!
Hail to the living ray
Which gilds the dusky earth!
For thee the purple violet breathes its sweets,
For thee the streaked blossoms fragrant bud,
And balmy breezes waft
Their grateful scents around;
For thee the streaked blossoms fragrant bud,
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Their grateful scents around;
Nor scorn the suppliant Muse's song of praise,
Whose notes of thrilling sound have floated oft
Athwart the dark-blue sky,
And charm'd the listening gods;
Whose notes of thrilling sound have floated oft
Athwart the dark-blue sky,
And charm'd the listening gods;
But who, O goddess, fairest of thy race,
Who, beauteous mother of the shining day,
Can praise in equal strains
Thy form of heavenly mould?
Who, beauteous mother of the shining day,
Can praise in equal strains
Thy form of heavenly mould?
Before those blushing cheeks, those glittering locks,
The yellow-twinkling stars abash'd retreat,
The fading moon retires
And shuns thy splendid step;
The yellow-twinkling stars abash'd retreat,
The fading moon retires
And shuns thy splendid step;
From shades of gloomy night thy beams awak'd
The mortal race, wide-shooting o'er the land
They dy'd with varied light
The-many tinted flowers;
The mortal race, wide-shooting o'er the land
They dy'd with varied light
The-many tinted flowers;
Thou, goddess, from the languid closed eye,
Driv'st heavy sleep, the hated kin of death,
And active man again
Pursues his wonted joys.
Driv'st heavy sleep, the hated kin of death,
And active man again
Pursues his wonted joys.
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The traveller starts, and briskly plies his steps,
The ploughman drives his vigorous team afield,
The jocund shepherd's care
Swift hastens to the plain.
The ploughman drives his vigorous team afield,
The jocund shepherd's care
Swift hastens to the plain.
The buskin'd goddess and her fleet-limb'd nymphs
O'er the moist lawn swift chase the reeking stag,
And cheer the panting hounds,
With loud and joyful shout.
O'er the moist lawn swift chase the reeking stag,
And cheer the panting hounds,
With loud and joyful shout.
To some the dull still hours of night are dear,
To me the cheerful day, fair queen of morn,
O give me oft to view
Thy purple-streaming light.
To me the cheerful day, fair queen of morn,
O give me oft to view
Thy purple-streaming light.
| Poetical works of the late F. Sayers | |