 | The Anniversaries |  |
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June 21.
THE LONGEST DAY.
“Hail, holy Light! offspring of Heaven first-born.”—
Milton.
Milton.
How thy glad lover runneth forth to greet
Each glory, Summer bright, thou bring'st with thee!
On mine enamoured sense ne'er falls too sweet
The fulness of thy fragrance; not for me
Thy deeps of azure glow too steadfastly:
Beneath thy noontide fire I gladsome burn,
And for the endless smile of thy sweet evening yearn.
Each glory, Summer bright, thou bring'st with thee!
On mine enamoured sense ne'er falls too sweet
The fulness of thy fragrance; not for me
Thy deeps of azure glow too steadfastly:
Beneath thy noontide fire I gladsome burn,
And for the endless smile of thy sweet evening yearn.
Yet has one charm of thine with me most power;
I love thee best for thy long, lingering light.
One beamy moment in each golden hour
I would not lose; O blessed scant of night!
O Summer clad all o'er in garments bright!
Down to thy very feet they flame and flow,
And now they softly gleam, and now they strongly glow.
I love thee best for thy long, lingering light.
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I would not lose; O blessed scant of night!
O Summer clad all o'er in garments bright!
Down to thy very feet they flame and flow,
And now they softly gleam, and now they strongly glow.
O Light, sweet, early guest! how the gray dawn
Glows into day and reddens! how the beam
Of thy young lord pours on the rosy morn
A golden glory! how all things do gleam
Steeped in the splendour of thy noontide stream!
How sweetly follow afternoon's clear shine
Thy purple and thy gold, O Summer-Eve divine!
Glows into day and reddens! how the beam
Of thy young lord pours on the rosy morn
A golden glory! how all things do gleam
Steeped in the splendour of thy noontide stream!
How sweetly follow afternoon's clear shine
Thy purple and thy gold, O Summer-Eve divine!
What softness on thy golden glory creeps,
Sweet, lingering Light! how happy all things lie
In the soft splendour of thy rosy deeps!
On thy delicious dying how mine eye
Keeps watch enamoured! yet thou wilt not die.
O Midnight half o'ercome—half won to be
A smiling realm within Light's golden empery!
Sweet, lingering Light! how happy all things lie
In the soft splendour of thy rosy deeps!
On thy delicious dying how mine eye
Keeps watch enamoured! yet thou wilt not die.
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A smiling realm within Light's golden empery!
And sometimes, ere his splendour Day has spent,
While flame his steps still in the western sky,
Lo! the moon climbeth up the Orient
Her softly shining way, and lifteth high
Full in the face of Day her majesty.
The splendours twain sit thronëd side by side,
And for a wondrous while the happy sky divide.
While flame his steps still in the western sky,
Lo! the moon climbeth up the Orient
Her softly shining way, and lifteth high
Full in the face of Day her majesty.
The splendours twain sit thronëd side by side,
And for a wondrous while the happy sky divide.
O Longest Day! thou canst not shine too long
For mine enamoured eyes; O Golden Hours!
I never tire amidst your dazzling throng.
O Light! thy glory sweetly overpowers
Thy lover glad in Summer's noontide bowers.
I shall not faint amidst those bowers supernal,
Nor bring half-shrinking eyes to the sweet Light Eternal.
For mine enamoured eyes; O Golden Hours!
I never tire amidst your dazzling throng.
O Light! thy glory sweetly overpowers
Thy lover glad in Summer's noontide bowers.
I shall not faint amidst those bowers supernal,
Nor bring half-shrinking eyes to the sweet Light Eternal.
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Lord! if for such high grace Thou hallow me,
How will this lover of these summer-days
Enjoy that day where night shall never be!
What eagle-eyed Archangel shall outgaze
This happy wooer of the eternal blaze?
O Heavenly Lover, Everlasting Light,
Still hallow these glad eyes! still stream on them more bright!
How will this lover of these summer-days
Enjoy that day where night shall never be!
What eagle-eyed Archangel shall outgaze
This happy wooer of the eternal blaze?
O Heavenly Lover, Everlasting Light,
Still hallow these glad eyes! still stream on them more bright!
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