  Gentle as dew, a summer shower In beauty bathed tree, herb, and flower, And told the stream to murmur on With quicker dance and livelier tone. The mist lay steady on the fell, While lustre steeped each smiling dell, Such wild and fairy contrast made The magic power of light and shade. Through trees a little bridge was seen, Glittering with yellow, red, and green, As o'er the moss with playful glide The sunbeam danced from side to side, And made the ancient arch to glow Various as Heaven's reflected bow. Rustle or song of joyful bird; The stir of rapture fill'd the air From unseen myriads mingling there; Life lay entranced in sinless mirth, And Nature's hymn swam o'er the earth! In this sweet hour of peace and love, I chanced from restless joy to move, When by my side a being stood Fairer than Naiad of the flood, Or her who ruled the forest scene In days of yore, the Huntress Queen. Wildness, subdued by quiet grace, Played o'er the vision's radiant face, Radiant with spirit fit to steer Her flight around the starry sphere, Yet, willing to sink down in rest Upon a guardian mortal breast. Her eyes were rather soft than bright, And, when a smile half-closed their light, Like stars scarce seen through fair moonshine! While ever, as, with sportive air, She lightly waved her clustering hair, A thousand gleams the motion made, Danced o'er the auburn's darker shade. O Mary! I had known thee long, Amid the gay, the thoughtless throng, Where mien leaves modesty behind, And manner takes the place of mind; Where woman, though delightful still, Quits Nature's ease for Fashion's skill, Hides, by the gaudy gloss of art, The simple beauty of her heart, And, born to lift our souls to heaven, Strives for the gaze despised when given, Forgets her being's godlike power To shine the wonder of an hour. Oft had I sigh'd to think that thou, An angel fair, could stoop so low; 'Mid worldly souls I saw thee glide, Wasting those smiles that love with tears Might live on, all his blessed years, Regret rose from thy causeless mirth, That Heaven could thus be stain'd by Earth. O vain regret! I should have known, Thy soul was strung to loftier tone, That wisdom bade thee joyful range Through worldly paths thou could'st not change, And look with glad and sparkling eye Even on life's cureless vanity. —But now, thy being's inmost blood Felt the deep power of solitude. From Heaven a sudden glory broke, And all thy angel soul awoke. I hail'd the impulse from above, And friendship was sublimed to love. 'Mid mountain-silence, lone and deep, Sweet narrow lines of fertile earth, 'Mid frowns of horror, smiles of mirth! Fair too the fix'd and floating cloud, The light obscure by eve bestowed, The sky's blue stillness, and the breast Of lakes, with all that stillness blest. But dearer to my heart and eye, Than valley, mountain, lake, or sky, One nameless stream, whose happy flow Blue as the heavens, or white as snow, And gently-swelling sylvan side, By Mary's presence beautified, Tell ever of expected years, The wish that sighs, the bliss that fears, Till taught at last no more to roam, I worship the bright Star of Home. |
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