Y honoured friend! whose verse concise yet clear
Tunes to smooth melody unconquered
May your fame fadeless live, as "never sere" The ivy wreathes yon oak, whose broad defence Embowers me from noon's sultry influence! For, like that nameless rivulet stealing by, Your modest verse to musing quiet dear
Is rich with tints heaven-borrowed; the charmed eye Shall gaze undazzled there, and love the softened sky.
Circling the base of the poetic mount A stream there is, which rolls in lazy flow Its coal-black waters from oblivion's fount; The vapour poisoned birds, that fly too low, Fall with dead swoop, and to the bottom go. Escaped that heavy stream on pinion fleet Beneath the mountain's lofty-frowning brow, Ere aught of perilous ascent you meet,
A mead of mildest charm delays the unlabouring feet.
Not there the cloud-climbed rock, sublime and vast, That like some giant king o'erglooms the hill, Nor there the pine-grove to the midnight blast Makes solemn music! But the unceasing rill To the soft wren or lark's descending trill Murmurs sweet undersong 'mid jasmin bowers.
In this same pleasant meadow, at your will, I ween you wandered-there collecting flowers Of sober tint, and herbs of medicinable powers!
There for the monarch-murdered soldier's tomb, You wove the unfinished wreath* of saddest hues, And to that holier chaplet† added bloom, Besprinkling it with Jordan's cleansing dews! But lo! your Henderson ‡ awakes the muse- His spirit beckoned from the mountain's height! You left the plain and soared 'mid richer views! So Nature mourned, when sank the first day's light, With stars, unseen before, spangling her robe of night!
Still soar, my friend, those richer views among, Strong, rapid, fervent, flashing fancy's beam! Virtue and truth shall love your gentler song; But poesy demands the impassioned theme: Waked by heaven's silent dews at eve's mild gleam What balmy sweets Pomona breathes around! But if the vexed air rush a stormy stream,
Or Autumn's shrill gust moan in plaintive sound, With fruits and flowers she loads the tempest honoured ground.
↑ John the Baptist, a poem
Monody on John Henderson.
WRITTEN AT SHURTON BARS, NEAR BRIDGEWATER, SEPTEMBER, 1795, IN ANSWER
TO A LETTER FROM BRISTOL.
"Good verse most good, and bad verse then seems better Received from absent friend by way of Letter.
For what so sweet can laboured lays impart
As one rude rhyme warm from a friendly heart?"-ANON.
OR travels my meandering eye The starry wilderness on high; Nor now with curious sight I mark the glow-worm, as I pass,
Move with "green radiance" through the grass, An emerald of light.
O ever present to my view! My wafted spirit is with you, And soothes your boding fears: I see you all oppressed with gloom Sit lonely in that cheerless room- Ah me! You are in tears!
Beloved Woman! did you fly Chilled friendship's dark disliking eye, Or mirth's untimely din?
With cruel weight these trifles press A temper sore with tenderness, When aches the void within.
But why with sable wand unblest Should fancy rouse within my breast Dim-visaged shapes of dread? Untenanting its beauteous clay My Sara's soul has winged its way, And hovers round my head!
I felt it prompt the tender dream, When slowly sank the day's last gleam; You roused each gentler sense, As sighing o'er the blossom's bloom Meek evening wakes its soft perfume With viewless influence.
And hark, my Love! The sea-breeze moans Through yon reft house! O'er rolling stones In bold ambitious sweep,
The onward-surging tides supply The silence of the cloudless sky
With mimic thunders deep.
Dark reddening from the channelled Isle* (Where stands one solitary pile Unslated by the blast)
The watchfire, like a sullen star, Twinkles to many a dozing tar
Rude cradled on the mast.
Even there-beneath that light-liouse tower
In the tumultuous evil hour
Ere peace with Sara came,
Time was, I should have thought it sweet To count the echoings of my feet,
And watch the storm-vexed flame.
The Holmes, in the Bristol Channel.
And there in black soul-jaundiced fit A sad gloom-pampered man to sit, And listen to the roar:
When mountain surges bellowing deep With an uncouth monster leap Plunged foaming on the shore.
Then by the lightning's blaze to mark Some toiling tempest-shattered bark; Her vain distress-guns hear; And when a second sheet of light Flashed o'er the blackness of the night- To see no vessel there!
But fancy now more gaily sings; Or if awhile she droop her wings, As sky-larks 'mid the corn,
On summer fields she grounds her breast: The oblivious poppy o'er her nest Nods, till returning morn.
O mark those smiling tears, that swell The opened rose! From heaven they fell, And with the sun-beam blend.
Blest visitations from above, Such are the tender woes of love Fostering the heart they bend!
When stormy midnight howling round Beats on our roof with clattering sound, To me your arms you'll stretch: Great God! you'll say-To us so kind, O shelter from this loud bleak wind The houseless, friendless wretch!
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