 | Miscellaneous Poems |  |
86
THE POET.
SUGGESTED BY A PASSAGE IN THE MEMOIRS OF GOETHE.
Well did the Sage from Wisdom's shrine
Declare what choicest gifts must meet;
Her blessings rare how fortune join
To form the Poet's mind complete.
Declare what choicest gifts must meet;
Her blessings rare how fortune join
To form the Poet's mind complete.
Ah! where the child of Genius strays,
Breathe gales from soft Ionia's shore!
The genial pulse of Nature plays,
Content to be—he asks no more.
Breathe gales from soft Ionia's shore!
The genial pulse of Nature plays,
Content to be—he asks no more.
And then to meet his eagle eye,
Outspread a land of lustre bright;
Embath'd in Noon's crystàlline sky,
Or flush'd with Eve's reflected light.
Outspread a land of lustre bright;
Embath'd in Noon's crystàlline sky,
Or flush'd with Eve's reflected light.
Ah! rise! ah! young Aurora, rise,
To meet the Bard's insatiate gaze;
And pour along the morning skies
Thy richest sheaf of opal rays.
To meet the Bard's insatiate gaze;
And pour along the morning skies
Thy richest sheaf of opal rays.
87
From yonder green hill's shelving side
He marks the seaward rivers flow;
And opening all its glories wide
The laughing landscape gleams below.
He marks the seaward rivers flow;
And opening all its glories wide
The laughing landscape gleams below.
A land of faëry bliss it seems,
Sweet woods, and lakes, and pastures gay;
While, lit by Morning's orient beams,
The aërial mountains trend away.
Sweet woods, and lakes, and pastures gay;
While, lit by Morning's orient beams,
The aërial mountains trend away.
The vision sinks!—earth, seas, are fled,
Intenser flame his bosom burns;
And o'er the shadows of the dead
The Poet's eye enraptur'd turns.
Intenser flame his bosom burns;
And o'er the shadows of the dead
The Poet's eye enraptur'd turns.
He stands upon the Tyrant's grave;—
What soul-ennobling thoughts are near!
Wave! child of song and genius, wave
The flowers to thee and freedom dear.
What soul-ennobling thoughts are near!
Wave! child of song and genius, wave
The flowers to thee and freedom dear.
And see where Phidias' breath has warm'd
To life the all but vocal stone;
And in the depth of ages form'd,
The immortal temple frowns alone.
To life the all but vocal stone;
And in the depth of ages form'd,
The immortal temple frowns alone.
88
How bright with Truth's reflected face
Great Titian's world of lustre gleams;
How pure in Raphael's virgin grace
The form of Love celestial beams.
Great Titian's world of lustre gleams;
How pure in Raphael's virgin grace
The form of Love celestial beams.
But ah! what sky-born form descends,
What more than mortal glories shine!
To crown her blessings Nature sends
The spell of beauty's smile divine.
What more than mortal glories shine!
To crown her blessings Nature sends
The spell of beauty's smile divine.
Come in thy matchless lustre rare
Before the bard's enraptur'd sight;
And wave that rich resplendent hair,
And bend those eyes of dewy light.
Before the bard's enraptur'd sight;
And wave that rich resplendent hair,
And bend those eyes of dewy light.
The spell is wove!—the charm complete,
Now Rapture strikes the awaken'd lyre;
And see, where Love and Music meet
To feed the Promethéan fire.
Now Rapture strikes the awaken'd lyre;
And see, where Love and Music meet
To feed the Promethéan fire.
Thus Nature round her favourite child
Assembles all her gifts divine;
And Genius brings his offspring wild
To watch in Wisdom's deepest shrine.
Assembles all her gifts divine;
And Genius brings his offspring wild
To watch in Wisdom's deepest shrine.
89
The conscience clear,—the spirits gay;
By Faith, the latest boon is given;
And, lit on earth, the ascending ray
Points upward to its home in Heaven.
By Faith, the latest boon is given;
And, lit on earth, the ascending ray
Points upward to its home in Heaven.
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