 | Ballads and Lyrical poems |  |
99
NINETTE.
I.
Thou borrowest from that heaven of blue,
Oh, maiden dear!
The depth of that cerulean hue
In which thine eyes appear.
Oh, maiden dear!
The depth of that cerulean hue
In which thine eyes appear.
Within their orbs the sunshine lies
Without eclipse;
And smiles, like meteors of the skies,
Run races on thy lips.
Without eclipse;
And smiles, like meteors of the skies,
Run races on thy lips.
Thou borrowest from the rising morn
The colour fair,
In which, thy temples to adorn,
Streams thy o'erflowing hair;—
The colour fair,
In which, thy temples to adorn,
Streams thy o'erflowing hair;—
And from the summer evening's glow,
On Alpine peaks,
The mingling roses strewn on snow
That decorate thy cheeks.
On Alpine peaks,
The mingling roses strewn on snow
That decorate thy cheeks.
Thou borrowest from all Nature's store
Some charm or grace;
And hill and plain,—the sea and shore,—
Yield tribute to thy face.
Some charm or grace;
And hill and plain,—the sea and shore,—
Yield tribute to thy face.
100
II.
Pay, pay them back with usury,
Oh, maiden dear!
With heaven-blue eyes look piously
On Heaven's o'erarching sphere.
Oh, maiden dear!
With heaven-blue eyes look piously
On Heaven's o'erarching sphere.
Nature has lent thee smiles of light,—
Repay in kind,
With fair Contentment ever bright,
And sunshine of the mind.
Repay in kind,
With fair Contentment ever bright,
And sunshine of the mind.
If she have lent thy cheeks a hue,—
The fairest wrought,—
Oh, pay her back with feeling true,
With love, and happy thought.
The fairest wrought,—
Oh, pay her back with feeling true,
With love, and happy thought.
For every gift, a gift impart;
For face and form,
Give her a soul serene,—a heart
Pure, sympathetic, warm.
For face and form,
Give her a soul serene,—a heart
Pure, sympathetic, warm.
So shall thy debt be overpaid
With tribute free;
And Man, and Nature,—happy maid!
Be both in debt to thee.
With tribute free;
And Man, and Nature,—happy maid!
Be both in debt to thee.
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