The poems and literary prose of Alexander Wilson ... for the first time fully collected and compared with the original and early editions ... edited ... by the Rev. Alexander B. Grosart ... with portrait, illustrations, &c |
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THUNDER-STORM. |
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 | The poems and literary prose of Alexander Wilson |  |
THUNDER-STORM.
Hot Summer reign'd, and the bright orb of day
High overhead roll'd on his cloudless way;
No rains appear'd to cheer the parchèd earth,
Nor dewy evenings swell'd the oaten birth;
Nor cooling breezes, curl'd along the streams,
Where youths repair'd, to shun the scorching beams;
Ten thousand insects swarm the sultry air,
Crowd in each room, and haunt us ev'rywhere;
While, mute, the warblers to the groves retreat,
And seek the shade, to shun the burning heat.
High overhead roll'd on his cloudless way;
No rains appear'd to cheer the parchèd earth,
Nor dewy evenings swell'd the oaten birth;
Nor cooling breezes, curl'd along the streams,
Where youths repair'd, to shun the scorching beams;
Ten thousand insects swarm the sultry air,
Crowd in each room, and haunt us ev'rywhere;
While, mute, the warblers to the groves retreat,
And seek the shade, to shun the burning heat.
Two sick'ning months had thus roll'd joyless by,
While Heat reign'd tyrant from the vaulted sky;
Again the sun rose in the flaming East,
And pour'd his rays o'er earth and ocean's breast;
But ere yon high meridian he had gain'd,
Surrounding clouds his dark'ning visage stain'd;
Clouds pil'd on clouds, in dismal, huge array,
Swell from the south, and blot the face of day.
O'er the bleak sky a threat'ning horror spreads,
The brooks brawl hoarser from their distant beds:
The coming storm, the woodland natives view,
Stalk to the caves, or seek the sheltering yew;
There, pensive droop, and eye the streaming rain,
While light'ning sweeps, and thunder shakes the plain.
While Heat reign'd tyrant from the vaulted sky;
Again the sun rose in the flaming East,
And pour'd his rays o'er earth and ocean's breast;
But ere yon high meridian he had gain'd,
Surrounding clouds his dark'ning visage stain'd;
Clouds pil'd on clouds, in dismal, huge array,
Swell from the south, and blot the face of day.
210
The brooks brawl hoarser from their distant beds:
The coming storm, the woodland natives view,
Stalk to the caves, or seek the sheltering yew;
There, pensive droop, and eye the streaming rain,
While light'ning sweeps, and thunder shakes the plain.
Dire is the fate of the old wand'ring swain,
Who sees the storm, and hurries o'er the plain;
The plain, far waste, unknown to human tread,
The gloom, fast mingling, dismal o'er his head;
No cottage near, to shield his hoary age,
All earth denies him refuge from its rage.
'Tis black around; swift from the threat'ning skies,
A sudden flash darts on his startl'd eyes;
Trembling he stops, but how aghast his soul,
When bursting, harsh, rebounding thunders roll!
The loud'ning roar confounds his tortur'd ear,
His distant friends call forth the briny tear;
Till (hapless swain!) the fiery bolt of death,
Extends him lifeless o'er the with'ring heath.
Who sees the storm, and hurries o'er the plain;
The plain, far waste, unknown to human tread,
The gloom, fast mingling, dismal o'er his head;
No cottage near, to shield his hoary age,
All earth denies him refuge from its rage.
'Tis black around; swift from the threat'ning skies,
A sudden flash darts on his startl'd eyes;
Trembling he stops, but how aghast his soul,
When bursting, harsh, rebounding thunders roll!
The loud'ning roar confounds his tortur'd ear,
His distant friends call forth the briny tear;
Till (hapless swain!) the fiery bolt of death,
Extends him lifeless o'er the with'ring heath.
The low-hung clouds, broke by this mighty sound
Pour down a deluge, o'er the gaping ground;
Each slate, each tile, teems with a streaming rill;
Thick falls the clattering torrent, thicker still,
While thro' the wat'ry element, the flash
Of vivid light'ning, blazes on the sash;
While follows, slow, the loud tremendous roar,
As heav'n itself was in dread fragments tore.
Down hurls the boiling brook, hush'd is the breeze,
Brooks rise to rivers, rivers swell to seas—
Smooth-gliding Cart, theme of my infant song,
Swell'd, broad and brown, resistless pours along,
In winding majesty, where Damon's dome,
Half launch'd, detains big whit'ning hills of foam;
Then raves, loud thund'ring o'er the ragged rocks,
Sweeps headlong down tumult'ous planks and blocks,
While crowds of millers gaze and tear their dusty locks.
Thus foaming Cartha swells from shore to shore,
While distant counties listen to her roar.
Pour down a deluge, o'er the gaping ground;
Each slate, each tile, teems with a streaming rill;
Thick falls the clattering torrent, thicker still,
While thro' the wat'ry element, the flash
Of vivid light'ning, blazes on the sash;
While follows, slow, the loud tremendous roar,
As heav'n itself was in dread fragments tore.
Down hurls the boiling brook, hush'd is the breeze,
Brooks rise to rivers, rivers swell to seas—
Smooth-gliding Cart, theme of my infant song,
Swell'd, broad and brown, resistless pours along,
In winding majesty, where Damon's dome,
Half launch'd, detains big whit'ning hills of foam;
Then raves, loud thund'ring o'er the ragged rocks,
Sweeps headlong down tumult'ous planks and blocks,
While crowds of millers gaze and tear their dusty locks.
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While distant counties listen to her roar.
Lone, on her banks, the rain-soak'd fisher strays,
Intent and mindless of th'involvèd rays;
Tho' the bleak heav'ns emit their wat'ry store
With rapid force, and lash the foamy shore;
Calm and undaunted, 'mongst his lines he works,
And thro' red light'ning eyes the floating corks.
Intent and mindless of th'involvèd rays;
Tho' the bleak heav'ns emit their wat'ry store
With rapid force, and lash the foamy shore;
Calm and undaunted, 'mongst his lines he works,
And thro' red light'ning eyes the floating corks.
Slow pass'd the day, till dreadful night o'erspread
A dismal darkness o'er each mortal's head;
No moon appear'd, no star beam'd to the eye,
Uproar rav'd monarch thro' the affrighted sky;
Stern thunder storm'd imperious from his throne,
Hail furious flew, and sweepy light'ning shone.
A dismal darkness o'er each mortal's head;
No moon appear'd, no star beam'd to the eye,
Uproar rav'd monarch thro' the affrighted sky;
Stern thunder storm'd imperious from his throne,
Hail furious flew, and sweepy light'ning shone.
Shrunk to the close recesses of the room,
Assembled neighbours sat, in solemn gloom;
All eye, to catch the frequent startling flash,
All ear, when roar'd the awe-impressing crash;
Fear sat on ev'ry brow, and Guilt, distrest,
Believed each bolt directed to his breast.
Assembled neighbours sat, in solemn gloom;
All eye, to catch the frequent startling flash,
All ear, when roar'd the awe-impressing crash;
Fear sat on ev'ry brow, and Guilt, distrest,
Believed each bolt directed to his breast.
Kind is that Pow'r Whose dread commanding voice,
Lulls the loud tempest's wild discordant noise.
With us He bids best blessings long delay,
While harsh disasters post in speed away.
Lulls the loud tempest's wild discordant noise.
With us He bids best blessings long delay,
While harsh disasters post in speed away.
Soon as young Morn gain'd on the sulky Night,
A beauteous prospect met th'enraptur'd sight:
The pearly dew-drops twinkl'd on the spray,
And larks, ascending, welcom'd in the day;
Bright Phœbus, ush'ring from his wat'ry bed,
Superbly rose and cheer'd the drooping mead;
Fleet fled the shades of night, wak'd from the grove,
Glad chant the birds, soft coos the hermit dove;
High from the blue expanse his glory pours,
Boundless abroad, and dyes the glitt'ring flow'rs;
Lambs dance, and brooks melodious, murm'ring run,
Creation smiles, and hails the glorious sun.
A beauteous prospect met th'enraptur'd sight:
The pearly dew-drops twinkl'd on the spray,
And larks, ascending, welcom'd in the day;
Bright Phœbus, ush'ring from his wat'ry bed,
Superbly rose and cheer'd the drooping mead;
Fleet fled the shades of night, wak'd from the grove,
Glad chant the birds, soft coos the hermit dove;
High from the blue expanse his glory pours,
Boundless abroad, and dyes the glitt'ring flow'rs;
Lambs dance, and brooks melodious, murm'ring run,
Creation smiles, and hails the glorious sun.
| The poems and literary prose of Alexander Wilson | |