Poems by the late John Bethune With a sketch of the author's life, by his brother |
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AUTUMNAL VERSES—1836. |
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 | Poems by the late John Bethune |  |
AUTUMNAL VERSES—1836.
Ye winds that sigh so solemnly
Along the wintry wood,
Ye bear a warning in your voice
To the wicked and the good.
Along the wintry wood,
Ye bear a warning in your voice
To the wicked and the good.
Ye yellow leaves that lie so thick,
And rustle at our feet,
Ye bring a moral to the heart,
Alas! both sad and sweet.
And rustle at our feet,
Ye bring a moral to the heart,
Alas! both sad and sweet.
Ambition, in thy glory, look—
Vain Beauty, in thy bloom—
Behold this scene, and humbly brook
An emblem of your doom!
Vain Beauty, in thy bloom—
Behold this scene, and humbly brook
An emblem of your doom!
The loftiest bough that lifts its head,
Bedeck'd with foliage fairest,
Must soonest meet the blasts that beat
Its bending twigs the barest:
Bedeck'd with foliage fairest,
Must soonest meet the blasts that beat
Its bending twigs the barest:
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Its leaves which, in the summer breeze,
Danced lightest to the day,
Now with the lowest lie, and now
Mix in the same decay.
Danced lightest to the day,
Now with the lowest lie, and now
Mix in the same decay.
Thus fall the good and beautiful,
Thus fall the proud and high,
And, in the same dark region met,
On the same level lie.
Thus fall the proud and high,
And, in the same dark region met,
On the same level lie.
Then go ye faithless blandishments
Which power and pride display;
And go ye smiles of loveliness
Which last but for a day.
Which power and pride display;
And go ye smiles of loveliness
Which last but for a day.
Since leaf, and flower, and living thing,
Through Nature's ample range,
Must perish with the years that pass,
Or with the seasons change;
Through Nature's ample range,
Must perish with the years that pass,
Or with the seasons change;
To beauties more unperishing,
And smiles that cannot die,
I now would teach my heart to rise,
And lift my drooping eye.
And smiles that cannot die,
I now would teach my heart to rise,
And lift my drooping eye.
To those who erst have wash'd their robes
In blood the Saviour shed—
To them, and Him who ransom'd them,
Be all my wishes led.
In blood the Saviour shed—
To them, and Him who ransom'd them,
Be all my wishes led.
Those smiles which wither on the cheek,
In this low world of care,
Shall be renew'd and beautified,
And live for ever there.
In this low world of care,
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And live for ever there.
The blossoms wither'd by the blasts
Which earthward howl and hiss,
Shall be unfolded, gloriously,
In that high world of bliss.
Which earthward howl and hiss,
Shall be unfolded, gloriously,
In that high world of bliss.
And should my soul descend again
From these bright forms above,
Be their fair images on earth
The objects of my love.
From these bright forms above,
Be their fair images on earth
The objects of my love.
| Poems by the late John Bethune | |