 | Rural sketches and poems |  |
224
THE MEETING.
“It was the soothing hour, just when the rounded
Red sun sinks down behind the azure hill,
Which seems as if the whole green earth it bounded
Circling all Nature, hushed, and dim, and still.—” [OMITTED]
“Alas! the love of woman! it is known
To be a lovely and a fearful thing.—”
—Byron.
Red sun sinks down behind the azure hill,
Which seems as if the whole green earth it bounded
Circling all Nature, hushed, and dim, and still.—” [OMITTED]
“Alas! the love of woman! it is known
To be a lovely and a fearful thing.—”
—Byron.
We stood beside the ocean
We gazed upon the sky,
Whilst the waves with gentle motion
Softly sung their lullaby;
And I look'd upon her face,
But I could not, dar'd not speak,
For the past sprang up apace,
And my heart was like to break.
We gazed upon the sky,
Whilst the waves with gentle motion
Softly sung their lullaby;
And I look'd upon her face,
But I could not, dar'd not speak,
For the past sprang up apace,
And my heart was like to break.
We had wander'd forth together,
When the summer heavens' were fair,
But a blast of winter weather
Shook our spirits' with despair;
Cruel words and harsh were spoken,
“Thou shalt wed him, daughter, never:”
Ah, how idle was the token—
Love—true love—exists for ever!
When the summer heavens' were fair,
But a blast of winter weather
Shook our spirits' with despair;
Cruel words and harsh were spoken,
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Ah, how idle was the token—
Love—true love—exists for ever!
And still the sun shone brightly,
The sea-birds hover'd near,
The foam-topp'd waves fell lightly
Among the sea-shells near;
The sparry-spangled grotto
Among the rocks gleam'd fair,
Where true-love's hallow'd motto
Recorded our despair.
The sea-birds hover'd near,
The foam-topp'd waves fell lightly
Among the sea-shells near;
The sparry-spangled grotto
Among the rocks gleam'd fair,
Where true-love's hallow'd motto
Recorded our despair.
“O seat thee gentle maiden,
Best and dearest rest thee here,
For my heart is over-laden
With its agony and fear;
Let my bosom be thy pillow
Whilst I gaze within thine eyes,
For gently falls the billow,
And sweetly smile the skies.
Best and dearest rest thee here,
For my heart is over-laden
With its agony and fear;
Let my bosom be thy pillow
Whilst I gaze within thine eyes,
For gently falls the billow,
And sweetly smile the skies.
“How truly I have lov'd thee
Through darkness and despair,
How wildly passion mov'd me,
Let these burning tears declare;
Every light that shines in heaven,
Every sound on earth seem'd gone,
But thine eyes like stars of even
And the music of thy tongue.
Through darkness and despair,
How wildly passion mov'd me,
Let these burning tears declare;
Every light that shines in heaven,
Every sound on earth seem'd gone,
But thine eyes like stars of even
And the music of thy tongue.
226
“Though harsh voices may surround us,
Though rude tempests rage between,
Like yon azure heavens' around us,
Love like ours shall smile serene.
Bars of iron cannot sever
When true hearts united are,
Love will bloom and burn for ever,
Fix'd and steadfast as a star!
Though rude tempests rage between,
Like yon azure heavens' around us,
Love like ours shall smile serene.
Bars of iron cannot sever
When true hearts united are,
Love will bloom and burn for ever,
Fix'd and steadfast as a star!
“My bark is on the water,
And the breezes lightly float,
Let us go sweet ocean-daughter,
Where fierce hate can harm us not:
In the lone and far Savannah
A green bower I'll build for thee,
Where the birds shall sing hosannah,
And the flowers thy couch shall be.”
And the breezes lightly float,
Let us go sweet ocean-daughter,
Where fierce hate can harm us not:
In the lone and far Savannah
A green bower I'll build for thee,
Where the birds shall sing hosannah,
And the flowers thy couch shall be.”
A tear-drop lingered brightly
In that eye of softest blue,
The blush of love dawned lightly
On that cheek of purest hue;
“To the wide-world's farthest border,
Though the stormy ocean roar,
I obey my true-love's order—
I will tend thee evermore!”
In that eye of softest blue,
The blush of love dawned lightly
On that cheek of purest hue;
“To the wide-world's farthest border,
Though the stormy ocean roar,
I obey my true-love's order—
I will tend thee evermore!”
| Rural sketches and poems | |