Thine is music such as yields Feelings of old brooks and fields, O, thus for ever sing to me! O, thus for ever! The green, bright grass of childhood bring to me, And the bright-blue skies above! The sunshine and the merriment, The unsought, evergreen content, Of that never cold time, The joy, that, like a clear breeze, went Peace sits within thine eyes, With white hands crossed in joyful rest, She sits and sings, With folded wings And white arms crost, "Weep not for passed things, They are not lost : The beauty which the summer time The forest oracles sublime That filled thy soul with joyous dread, That made thy heart sweet for an hour, — Yea, every holy influence, Flowing to thee, thou knewest not whence, In thine eyes to-day is seen, Fresh as it hath ever been; Promptings of Nature, beckonings sweet, Whatever led thy childish feet, Still will linger unawares The guiders of thy silver hairs; Which thou givest forth to-day, Tell of the singing of the bird Whose music stilled thy boyish play." 1841. Thy voice is like a fountain, Twinkling up in sharp starlight, When the moon behind the mountain Dims the low East with faintest white, Ever darkling, Ever sparkling, We know not if 't is dark or bright; But, when the great moon hath rolled round, Grows from behind its black, clearedged bound, But, swift as opening eyelids, leapeth Into a waving silver flower. ODE. I. In the old days of awe and keen-eyed wonder, He saw the mysteries which circle under There was in him no hope of fame, no passion, He could believe the promise of to-morrow, Than the world's seeming loss could take away. He watched the flowing of Time's steady tide, And shapes of glory floated all about him And whispered to him, and he prophesied. Than all men he more fearless was and freer, And all his brethren cried with one accord, "Behold the holy man! Behold the Seer! Him who hath spoken with the unseen Lord!" He to his heart with large embrace had taken The universal sorrow of mankind, And, from that root, a shelter never shaken, The tree of wisdom grew with sturdy rind. He could interpret well the wondrous voices Which to the calm and silent spirit come; |