The Legend of Genevieve with other tales and poems. By Delta [i.e. David Macbeth Moir] |
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THE
EVENING LANDSCAPE. |
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 | The Legend of Genevieve |  |
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THE EVENING LANDSCAPE.
A sunny leaf in memory's pictured tome.
Anon.
Anon.
Back from the portals of the west,
The sun in cloudless glory gazes,
While in the beechen shade I rest
Upon a bank of daisies.
The sun in cloudless glory gazes,
While in the beechen shade I rest
Upon a bank of daisies.
It is the Sabbath of the day,
Which every forest leaf is keeping;
The hum of life hath died away,
The passions all are sleeping.
Which every forest leaf is keeping;
The hum of life hath died away,
The passions all are sleeping.
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It seems as conscious Nature yields
At her Creator's shrine devotion;
There comes no music from the fields,
No murmur from the ocean.
At her Creator's shrine devotion;
There comes no music from the fields,
No murmur from the ocean.
A silent joy—a holy pride
Steals on my swelling heart, and o'er me;
The visions of my boyhood glide
In bright review before me.
Steals on my swelling heart, and o'er me;
The visions of my boyhood glide
In bright review before me.
One lovely eve, at such an hour,
The woods were green, the sun was shining,
And I, within this beechen bower,
Upon the bank reclining;
The woods were green, the sun was shining,
And I, within this beechen bower,
Upon the bank reclining;
When up yon path my loved one came,
In all the pride of vernal brightness,
With brow of snow, and lip of flame,
And form of fairy lightness.
In all the pride of vernal brightness,
With brow of snow, and lip of flame,
And form of fairy lightness.
I clasp'd my seraph to my breast,
With ecstasy my heart was beating,
And hers, within its joyous nest,
Was throb for throb repeating.
With ecstasy my heart was beating,
And hers, within its joyous nest,
Was throb for throb repeating.
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We roam'd about this woodland scene,
And down the hill and through the meadow
Till lowering, sombre, and serene,
Dim Evening threw her shadow;
And down the hill and through the meadow
Till lowering, sombre, and serene,
Dim Evening threw her shadow;
And dews unheard were falling round,
And in the south a star was twinkling,
And from afar, with fitful sound,
The curfew bell was tinkling.
And in the south a star was twinkling,
And from afar, with fitful sound,
The curfew bell was tinkling.
I press'd her hand in mine; the blush
Of meek and maiden perturbation
Came o'er her features, like the flush
Which crimsons the carnation.
Of meek and maiden perturbation
Came o'er her features, like the flush
Which crimsons the carnation.
I caught her gaze—it thrill'd my heart—
In silence eloquently pleading;
From her my thoughts could not depart,
And of nought else were heeding.
In silence eloquently pleading;
From her my thoughts could not depart,
And of nought else were heeding.
We parted with a fond embrace—
I stood and gazed in melancholy,
Even as a pilgrim turns his face
To Mecca's temple holy!
I stood and gazed in melancholy,
Even as a pilgrim turns his face
To Mecca's temple holy!
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But ere yon hedge-row from my sight
The Peri of my hope had banish'd,
She waved her hand of lily white,
And like a spirit vanish'd!—
The Peri of my hope had banish'd,
She waved her hand of lily white,
And like a spirit vanish'd!—
Long years since then have fled; and all
My hopes divine and dreams Elysian
Have pass'd, like sunshine from a wall,
In mockery of vision.
My hopes divine and dreams Elysian
Have pass'd, like sunshine from a wall,
In mockery of vision.
But fair is Nature—oh! how fair
Are all her beauties spread before me;
The tearful star, with dewy hair,
Beams tremulously o'er me;
Are all her beauties spread before me;
The tearful star, with dewy hair,
Beams tremulously o'er me;
The shades are darkening o'er the dell;
The night-fog hangs above the river;
Beloved scenes, farewell—farewell!
For ever, and for ever.
The night-fog hangs above the river;
Beloved scenes, farewell—farewell!
For ever, and for ever.
| The Legend of Genevieve | |