Studies of Sensation and Event :: :: University of Virginia Library

I had seen the snow sink silently to the ground;
And beauteously its white rest
Quieted all things; and the hushing sound
Murmuring and sinking everywhere around,
Blessed me and was blessed.

I had seen the moon peep thro' the dark-cloud-flight,
Then gradually retreat;
And her re-appearing smile of gentlest might,
Beneath which all the clouds sank calm and bright,
Me lustrously did greet.

And I had heard the ungovernable sea
Earth's quietness loud scorn;

I had marked afar his raging radiancy,
And proudly, in his pride, had felt that he
And I were twain god-born.

But than the under-uttering hush of snow;—
Than the moon's queenly reign;—
Than ocean's pride;—more beautiful did glow
One other beauty,—even now bending low
I adore to it again.

For on that night, while Christmas melody plained
Our lonely house around,
Interpreting wild feeling, else restrained
From any utterance, in the heart death pained;—
Suddenly, hushing sound,

Came from a lonely chamber's opening door,
A beautiful boy child;
His pale face feared to dare the darkness more,
His white feet hesitated o'er the floor,
And many a prayer he smiled.

Then tiptoe gliding through the gallery's gloom,
His hands pressed on his heart,
Noiselessly entered he a distant room,
And stealthily its mellowed moonlight bloom
His gliding limbs did part;—

Till o'er a couch all bathed in slanting sheen,
Where, lapt in splendour, slept
A little girl, her childhood's sleep serene,—
His look growing like to her look, he did lean,
And a brief moment, kept

Affection fixed, a reposing gaze
Upon the sleeping light,
Pleasuring beneath her eyes, and like soft haze,
O'er the clueless beauty of her mouth's sweet maze,
Glowing mildly bright.

When suddenly, with intenser utterance, screamed
The music's wild require;
And as suddenly his startled countenance beamed
In vivid palor, and his wide eyes gleamed
With coming and going fire:—

And then he arrested her unclasped hand,
He kissed her gentle cheek;
Till sighing, as loath to leave sleep's peaceful land,
Her eyes looked sadly up, and wearily scanned
His face, while he did speak.

He whispered, “Hark! the music that you feared
Again we might not hear;
Wake! wake! it is very passionate, it has neared—
It mourneth, like the wind o'er the moors careered—
Listen! listen! Amabel dear.”

Here! here! that beauty, which, than hush of snow—
Than the moon's royal reign—
Than ocean's pride;—more beautiful did glow;—
He is that beauty; even now bending low,
I adore to it again.

Sweet peace to me the hushing snow had sent,
The moon had given me joy,
The ocean transport; but high thought-content,
Begotten of all things—measureless—yet unspent,
Gave me this gentle boy.

For, from the sanctuary of this scene,
Through the strange world around,
That never knew happiness, that fierce and mean,
Now whiningly grovelleth, with disease unclean,
That deepening, owns no bound;—

Where love loud rages, seeing throned the wrong
That all his hope destroys;
Where poetry pales, despairing, and for song
Raves, till her utterance, erst so sweet and strong,
Sinks to mere maniac noise;—

Where even science hath fallen, with terrible dread
Palsied his strenuous limbs,
Dashing the diadem from his anguished head,
And howling atheist howlings;—was I led;
And, lifting solemn hymns,

Nor anger moved me, nor disgust, nor scorn,
Nor suffered I any fear:
For when the drear was stormiest—most forlorn,
This boy illumined, soft his voice was borne,
“Listen, listen, Amabel dear.”