 | Songs and Poems from 1819 to 1879 |  |
13
TO------
When first I beheld thee, thou dear little sprite,I found there was something about thee
Which shed round thy presence so cheering a light,
Even day appeared darkness without thee.
'Twas a magic that mastered the soul by surprise,
Where archness was mixed with-good nature;
It sparkled and spoke in thy laughing dark eyes,
And heightened each eloquent feature.
There was nothing coquettish or prudishly coy,
But a spirit of affable gladness,
Which threw round my heart such a holiday joy,
It bade a defiance to sadness.
And from the first moment it beamed upon me
The smile which all bosoms engages,
I felt as much friendship and fondness for thee
As if I had known thee for ages.
And Time has but made those emotions more sweet;
Still lovely, still gay, I perceive thee;
And feel more delight when I know we shall meet,
More pain when I find I must leave thee.
14
What now can be called the sensation, I prove
It cannot, no surely it can not, be Love,
But really it's very much like it.
| Songs and Poems from 1819 to 1879 | |