Poems, on sacred and other subjects and songs, humorous and sentimental: By the late William Watt. Third edition of the songs only--with additional songs |
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Winter's Approach.
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 | Poems, on sacred and other subjects |  |
Winter's Approach.
Now the reaped fields are bare,
While the farmer's heart is glowing;
Now the piercing boreal air
Keenly o'er the waste is blowing.
While the farmer's heart is glowing;
Now the piercing boreal air
Keenly o'er the waste is blowing.
Banish'd from the evening sky
Is the swiftly gliding swallow,
And the redbreast's hopping nigh,
And the woods are sere and sallow.
Is the swiftly gliding swallow,
And the redbreast's hopping nigh,
And the woods are sere and sallow.
Oft the sportsman's thund'ring gun
On the startled ear is swelling,
Till the ruddy setting sun
Drive him to his jocund dwelling.
On the startled ear is swelling,
Till the ruddy setting sun
Drive him to his jocund dwelling.
Little cheer the russet plain
Offers to the cow'ring cattle,
While descends the chilling rain,
Or the biting hail blasts rattle.
Offers to the cow'ring cattle,
While descends the chilling rain,
Or the biting hail blasts rattle.
Plaintive sighs the water-fall,
With unequal cadence pealing,
As, across the mind of all,
Languor's dreary power is stealing.
With unequal cadence pealing,
As, across the mind of all,
Languor's dreary power is stealing.
Silent now is yonder shade,
Where oft sang the thrush so mellow;
Drooping, round the sweeping glade,
Hang the linden's branches yellow.
Where oft sang the thrush so mellow;
Drooping, round the sweeping glade,
Hang the linden's branches yellow.
'Midst the woods the children stray
Where the clust'ring wild-fruit dazzle,
Tearing from the rustling spray
Fruits of bramble, sloe, and hazle.
Where the clust'ring wild-fruit dazzle,
Tearing from the rustling spray
Fruits of bramble, sloe, and hazle.
218
Now the dreary nights return,
When the brawling storms, descending,
Burst from their terrific urn,
All fierce winter's horrors blending.
When the brawling storms, descending,
Burst from their terrific urn,
All fierce winter's horrors blending.
Happy he, who, by his fire,
Lists the tempest wildly raving,
Bless'd, with all his heart's desire,
In the horn of Ceres waving.
Lists the tempest wildly raving,
Bless'd, with all his heart's desire,
In the horn of Ceres waving.
He nor heeds the breme blast blow,
Lightning's flash, nor growling thunder,
Nor the surge of driving snow,
Hiding sheep and shepherds under.
Lightning's flash, nor growling thunder,
Nor the surge of driving snow,
Hiding sheep and shepherds under.
But how sad the beggar's lot,
Doom'd by penury to wander,
Who might fill some happy cot
On what spendthrifts vainly squander.
Doom'd by penury to wander,
Who might fill some happy cot
On what spendthrifts vainly squander.
Sadly throbs the feeling soul,
Mis'ry's woeful case while viewing;
And the tears of pity roll,
All her pallid cheeks bedewing.
Mis'ry's woeful case while viewing;
And the tears of pity roll,
All her pallid cheeks bedewing.
What strange petrifying glue
Shields, with flinty incrustation,
Their hard hearts, who heedless view
Pining want without vexation.
Shields, with flinty incrustation,
Their hard hearts, who heedless view
Pining want without vexation.
List, oh list! ye born to state,
The heart-rending tale of sorrow
Which now flows without your gate;
Heaven will you reward to-morrow.
The heart-rending tale of sorrow
Which now flows without your gate;
Heaven will you reward to-morrow.
Darker frowns the mirky sky,
O'er the sable landscape spreading,
And the warping snow doth fly,
Which the weary trav'ller's dreading.
O'er the sable landscape spreading,
And the warping snow doth fly,
Which the weary trav'ller's dreading.
Thicker still the virgin store
Drives along the whit'ning mountain,
Till are seen and heard no more
Sobbing rill nor sighing fountain.
Drives along the whit'ning mountain,
Till are seen and heard no more
Sobbing rill nor sighing fountain.
219
Leafless woods, with branches white,
Are bedeck'd to shield the raven,
While on rocks, with crystal bright,
Frosts enchanting forms have graven.
Are bedeck'd to shield the raven,
While on rocks, with crystal bright,
Frosts enchanting forms have graven.
Sigh not, Fancy! soon again
Frost and snow shall be discarded;
All the ire of hail and rain
Soon shall vanish disregarded.
Frost and snow shall be discarded;
All the ire of hail and rain
Soon shall vanish disregarded.
Soon the placid smile of spring
Shall dispel the gloom of winter;
Music through the land shall ring:
Then the shades with joy thou'lt enter.
Shall dispel the gloom of winter;
Music through the land shall ring:
Then the shades with joy thou'lt enter.
| Poems, on sacred and other subjects | |