 | Metrical Effusions |  |
101
A FULL BLOWN ROSE.
A full blown rose, in beauty's pride,
By chance my wand'ring eye descried;
Its dewy fragrance, scatter'd wide,
Perfum'd the gales of morning.
By chance my wand'ring eye descried;
Its dewy fragrance, scatter'd wide,
Perfum'd the gales of morning.
When evening sun-beams ting'd the sky
I hasten'd forth, again to spy
Those charms which struck my roving eye
So early in the morning.
I hasten'd forth, again to spy
Those charms which struck my roving eye
So early in the morning.
102
But ah! its beauties all were flown!
And all its humid fragrance gone!
All that the sun had glanc'd upon,
So lovely in the morning!
And all its humid fragrance gone!
All that the sun had glanc'd upon,
So lovely in the morning!
Wither'd by Phoebus' scorching heat,
It lay in fragments at my feet;
No more th' enraptur'd sight to greet
On any future morning.
It lay in fragments at my feet;
No more th' enraptur'd sight to greet
On any future morning.
So short, so frail is beauty's reign!
Who can the pensive sigh restrain?
The longest date its charms can gain
Is but a summer's morning!
Who can the pensive sigh restrain?
The longest date its charms can gain
Is but a summer's morning!
But let not Laura's gentle breast
Be with this mournful truth deprest;
She yet may shine, supremely blest,
For many a joyful morning.
Be with this mournful truth deprest;
She yet may shine, supremely blest,
For many a joyful morning.
103
Long, long may Heaven her beauties spare;
Preserve her happy, good, and fair;
And shield from every ruder care
Each evening, noon, and morning.
Preserve her happy, good, and fair;
And shield from every ruder care
Each evening, noon, and morning.
| Metrical Effusions | |