That dipped their pitchers in that spring, And lingered round its brink. Ere rose the voice of weeping! On-on-through woeful images My spirit holds her way! Death in each drooping flower she sees : And oft the momentary brecze Is singing of decay. -So high upon the slender bough Why hangs the crow her nest? All undisturbed her young have lain This spring-time in their nest; Nor as they flew on tender wing E'er fear'd the cross-bow or the sling. Tame as the purpling turtle-dove, That walks serene in human love, The magpie hops from door to door; And the hare, not fearing to be seen, Doth gambol' on the village-green As on the lonely moor. The few sheep wandering by the brook Have all a dim neglected look, Oft bleating in their dumb distress On her their sweet dead shepherdess. The horses pasturing through the range Of gateless fields, all common now, Free from the yoke enjoy the change, To them a long long sabbath-sleep! Then gathering in one thunderous band, Across the wild they sweep, Tossing the long hair from their eyes, Till far the living whirlwind flies As o'er the desert sand. From human let their course is freeNo lonely angler down the lea Invites the zephyr's breathAnd the beggar far away doth roam, Preferring in his hovel-home His penury to death. On that green hedge a scattered row Now weather-stained-once white as snowOf garments that have long been spread, And now belong unto the dead, Shroud-like proclaim to every eye, "This is no place for charity!” Sweet Spire! that crownst the housc of God! For yon sweet Manse now empty stands, SECOND DREAM. BESSY BELL AND MARY GRAY. O blest are ye! unthinking creatures! Rejoicing in your lowly natures Ye dance round human tombs! Where gladlier sings the mountain-lark Than o'er the church-yard dim and dark! Or where, than on the church-yard-wall, From the wild rose-tree brighter fall Her transitory blooms! What is it to that lovely sky If all her worshippers should die! As happily her splendours play On the grave where human forms decay, As o'er the dewy turf of Morn, Where the virgin, like a woodland Fay On wings of joy was borne. --Even now a soft and silvery haze Hill - Village-Tree-is steeping In the loveliness of happier days, O nusu'd be our souls as this Burial-ground ! of Night, Or, are ye Angels ? who from bliss, Whate'er on Nature's breast is found. With dewy fall, unto our earth In loveliness without a sound, On wings of Paradise descend, That silent seems to soul and sense, The grave of Innocence to kiss, Emblem of perfect Innocence! And tears of an immortal birth Two radiant dew-drops that repose On mossy bank at evening's close, Two flowers upon the lonesome moor, Two sea-birds from the troubled ocean In the absence of the gale Over a sweet inland-vale ; Two early-risen stars that lie Together on the evening-sky, Their walk along the depths of blue. In tears a beauty lies more deep, |--Sweet Beigns! on my dreams ye rise The glimmering of mortality! With all your frail humanities ! Their aged Friend in slumber lies, Nor Earth below, nor Heaven above, And hath closed for an hour the only eyes An image yields of Peace and Love, That ever cheered their orphan-state, So perfect as your pensive breath At the hour of birth left desolate! She sleeps! and now these Maids have come Each sigh more touching than the last, That brings unsought a dream of death! THE DEPARTURE. The grave is fill’d and the turf is spread To grow together o'er the dead. And one warm night of summer-dew Will all their wonted smiles renew, That spreads beneath their feet! Restoring to its blooming rest They walk not down yon fairy-stream A soft couch for the sky-lark's breast. Whose liquid lapses sweet The funeral-party, one by one Might wrap them in some happy dream Have given their blessing and are gone or a pure, calm, far: retreat, Prepared themselves ere long to die, As on that rivulet seems to flow, A small, sad, silent company. Escaping from a world of Wo! The orphans robed in spotless white But this still realm is their delight, Yet linger in the holy ground, And hither they repair And shed all o'er that peaceful mound Communion with the dead to hold ! A radiance like the wan moonlight. Peaceful, as at the fall of night, -Then from their mother's grave they glide Two little Lambkins gliding white Out of the church-yard side by side. Return unto the gentle air Just at the gate they pause and turn That sleeps within the fold. I hear sad blended voices mourn Or like two Birds to their lonely nest, Mother, farewell the last endeavour Or wearied waves to their bay of rest, To send their souls back to the clay. Or fleecy clouds, when their race is run, Then they hide their eyes and walk away That hang, in their own beauty blest, From her grave-now and for ever! 'Mid the calm that sanctifies the west Around the setting Sun. Not till this parting invocation To their mother's buried breast, Phantoms! ye waken to mine eye Had they felt the power of desolation ! Sweet trains of carthly imagery! Long as she lived the village lay THIRD DREAM. Calm-onrepining in decay And bless its thatch and sheltering tree, For grief was its own consolation, Then leave it everlastingly! And death seemd only rest. -On, on they go, in sorrow blind, -- But now a dim and sullen breath Yet with a still and gentle motion And though the tempest smite their breast, Wild silence, like a depth of snow Reaching at last some bay of rest. God bless them on their pilgrimage! And may his hand divine With healing dew their woes assuage, When they have reach'd that silent shrine One village of despair. By nature fram'd in the open air, Lying in heaven serene and still; For pilgrims ne'er to Sion went More mournful, or more innocent, Across the village-green they go Before the rueful Cross to lie Eyeing the streamlet's murmuring flow, At midnight on Mount Calvary. Where melt away the specks of foam, Two favourite sheep before them goLike human creatures dying Each with its lambs of spotless snow ?Mid their voyage down life's peaceful stream, Frisking around with pattering feet, l'pon the bosom of a dream In thoughtless pleasure lying. With peaceful eyes and happy bleat. Calm reveries of composing grief! Happy! yet like a soft complaint! As if at times the voice of sorrow Through the hush'd air came breathing faint From blessed things that fear no morrow. The Orphans look around--and lo! -Each Shepherdess holds in her hand How touching is that Lilac's glow, A verdant crook of the willow-wand, Beneath the tall Laburnum's bow Wreath'd round with melancholy flowers That dazzling spans the sky! Gather'd 'mid the hills in happier hours. That golden gleam-that gentle fire In a small cage a thrush is sittingForces even anguish to admire ; Or, restless as the light That through his sunny prison plays, From perch to perch each moment flitting, His quick and glancing eye surveys Odours that have been wasting long The novel trees and fields so bright, A swectness there was none to feel; And like a torrent gusbing strong And from the hidden flowers a song He sends through heaven his sudden song, of bees, in happy multitude A song that all dim thought destroys, All busy in that solitude, And breathes o'er all its own wild joys. An image brings of all the strife And gladness of superior life, Till man seem, 'mid these insects blest, A brother-insect hardly miss'd. As on the Orphans hold their way Through the stillness of the dying day, Fairies might they seem who are returning, They seize that transient calm; the door At the end of some allotted time, of their own cottage open stands Unto their own immortal clime! Far lonelier than one hour before, Each bearing in its lovely hand When they with weak and trembling hands Some small memorial of the land The head of that dear coffin bore Where they, like common human frames, l'nto its darksome bed! And call'd by gentle Christian names, Some little fair insensate thing, Relic of that wild visiting! of its own vanish'd earth will sing; Some sudden thought their feet recals, Those harmless creatures that will glide And trifles urge their stay, O'er faery-vales in earthly snow, Till with the violence of despair And from the faery-river's flow They rush into the open air, Come forth more purely beautified. Now with a wild and mournful song Groupes of gay children too are there, The fair procession moves along, Stirring with mirth the silent air, While by that tune so sweet O'er all their eager eyes the light of laughter The little flock delighted press burning As if with human tenderness Around the singer's feet. The Ass hath got his burthen still! Up-up the gentle slope they wind, The merry elves the panniers fill; Leaving the laughing flowers behind Delighted there from side to side they swing: That seem to court their stay. The creature heeds nor shout nor call, One moment on the top they stand, But jogs on careless of them all, At the wild-unfolding vale's command, Whether in harınless sport they gaily strike _Then down into that facry-land or sing. Dream-like they sink away! A gipsey-groupe! the secret wood From the brown tents, and sparkling fires, And silently feeds on beneath the silent moon. WRITTEN ON SEEING A PICTURE BY BERGHEM, OF AN ASS IN A STORY-SHOWER. The Moon sits o’er the huge oak-tree, More pensive 'mid this scene of glee Poor wretch! that blasted leafless tree, That mocks the hour of beauty and of rest; More frail and death-like even than thee, The soul of all her softest rays Can yield no shelter to thy shivering form; On yonder placid creature plays, The sleet, the rain, the wind of Heaven As if she wish'd to cheer the hardship of Full in thy face are coldly driven, the opprest. As if thou wert alone the object of the storm. But now the silver moonbeams fade, Yet chill'd with cold, and drench'd with rain, And, peeping through a flowery glade, Hush'd as a wild-bird's nest, a cottage lies: Mild creature! thou dost not complain By sound or look of these ungracious skies; An Ass stands meek and patient there, Calmly as if in friendly shed, And by her side a spectre fair, There standst thou, with unmoving head, To drink the balmy cup once more before she dies. And a grave, patient meekness in thy half With tenderest care the pitying dame Long could my thoughtful spirit gaze Supports the dying maiden's frame, And strives with laughing looks her heart On thee; nor am I loth to praise Him who in moral mood this image drew; While playful children crowd around to cheer; And yet, methinks, that I could frame To catch her eye by smile or sound, An image different, yet the same, Unconscious of the doom that waits their More pleasing to the heart, and yet to Na lady dear! ture true. I feel this mournful dream impart A holier image to my heart, For oft doth grief to thoughts sublime give birth : There is a browsing Ass espied, Blest creature! through the solemn night, One colt is frisking by her side, And one among her feet is safely stretch'd see thee bath'd in heavenly light, Shed from that wondrous child-the Saviour in sleep. of the Earth. And lo! a little maiden stands, When flying Herod's murd'rous rage, With thistles in her tender hands, Tempting with kindly words the colt to eat; Didst gently near the virgin-mother lie; Thou on that wretched pilgrimage Or gently down before him lays, On thee the humble Jesus sate, With words of solace and of praise, Pluck'd from th' untrodden turf the herbage To see 'mid holyhymns the sinless man pass by When thousands rush'd to Salem's gate soft and sweet. The summer-sun is sinking down, Happy thou wert, nor low thy praise, And the peasants from the market-town In peaceful patriarchal days, With cheerful hearts are to their homes When countless tents slow passed from land returning; to land, closed eyes. ly band. Like clouds o'er heaven : the gentlc race While thus, with unresisted art, The Enchantress melted every heart, Circling the pastoral camp in many a state- Amid the glance, the sigh, the smile, Herself, unmoved and cold the while, Where all were subjects-she a Queen! love! Save a young child she sung to rest Then, o'er him in the cradle laid, Moved her dear lips as if she pray’d. She bless'd him in his father's name: O GENTLE Sleep! wilt Thou lay thy head Lo! to her side that father came, For one little hour on thy Lover's bed, And, in a voice subdued and mild, And none but the silent stars of night He bless'd the mother and her child. Shall witness be to our delight! I thought upon the proud saloon, And that Enchantress Queen; but soon, TO A SLEEPING CHILD. Whose happy home is on our earth? Lost 'mid a gleam of golden hair? Oh! can that light and airy breath so long in thy beauty wooed, Steal from a being doom'd to death; No Rival hast Thou in my solitude; Those features to the grave be sent Be mine, my Love! and we two will lie In sleep thus mutely eloquent ; Embraced for ever—or awake to die! Or, art thou, what thy form would seem, The phantom of a blessed dream? Dear Sleep!farewell!-hour,hour,hour, hour, A human shape I feel thou art, Will slowly bring on the gleam of Morrow, I feel it , at my beating heart, Bat Thou art Joy's faithful Paramour, Those tremors both of soul and sense And lie wilt Thou not in the arms of Sorrow. Awoke by infant innocence! Though dear the forms by fancy wove, Even on her deepest solitude: But, lovely child! thy magic stole At once into my inmost soul, And left no other vision there. And well they must have loved before, And careless claim'd it as her right. If since thy birth they loved not more. With syren-voice the Lady sung: Thou art a branch of noble steni, Love on her tones enraptured hung, And, seeing thee, I figure them. While timid awe and fond desire What many a childless one would give, Came blended from her witching lyre. If thou in their still home wouldst live! Fair Sleep! |