The gentle wind-a sweet and passionate wooer- Kisses the blushing leaf, and stirs up life
Within the solemn woods of ash deep-crimson'd, And silver beach, and maple yellow-leaved,- Where Autumn, like a faint old man, sits down By the way-side a-weary. Through the trees The golden robin moves; the purple finch, That on wild cherry and red cedar feeds,- A winter bird,-comes with its plaintive whistle, And pecks by the witch-hazel; whilst aloud, From cottage roofs, the warbling blue-bird sings; And merrily, with oft-repeated stroke,
Sounds from the threshing-floor the busy flail.
O, what a glory doth this world put on For him, that, with a fervent heart, goes forth Under the bright and glorious sky, and looks On duties well perform'd, and days well spent! For him the wind, ay, the yellow leaves,
Shall have a voice, and give him eloquent teachings. He shall so hear the solemn hymn, that Death Has lifted up for all, that he shall go
To his long resting-place without a tear.
SHE was my idol. Night and day to scan The fine expansion of her form, and mark The unfolding mind like vernal rose-bud start To sudden beauty, was my chief delight. To find her fairy footsteps follow me, Her hand upon my garments, or her lip Long seal'd to mine, and in the watch of night The quiet breath of innocence to feel Soft on my cheek, was such a full content Of happiness, as none but mothers know.
Her voice was like some tiny harp that yields To the slight finger'd breeze, and as it held Brief converse with her doll, or playful soothed The moaning kitten, or with patient care Conn'd o'er the alphabet-but most of all Its tender cadence in her evening prayer Thrill'd on the ear like some ethereal tone Heard in sweet dreams.
But now alone I sit, Musing of her, and dew with mournful tears Her little robes, that once with woman's pride I wrought, as if there were a need to deck What God had made so beautiful. I start, Half fancying from her empty crib there comes A restless sound, and breathed the accustom'd words "Hush! Hush thee, dearest." Then I bend and
As though it were a sin to speak to one Whose home is with the angels.
And yet I wish I had not seen the pang That wrung her features, nor the ghastly white Settling around her lips. I would that Heaven Had taken its own, like some transplanted flower, Blooming in all its freshness.
Be still, my heart! what could a mother's prayer, In all the wildest ecstasy of hope,
Ask for its darling like the bliss of heaven?
THE CAPTIVE OF ALHAMA.
THE Moslem star was on the wane, Eclipsed the Paynim powers,
And the haughty lord of Christian Spain, Besieged Granada's towers:
Gonsalvo, with a hundred knights Of Leon's chivalrie,
Well posted on Alhama's heights, Staid succour from the sea.
One morn a Moorish youth was led To brave Gonsalvo's tent, His escort from the field had fled, And his horse had fall'n o'erspent; He hung his head in speechless grief, As the tear roll'd down his cheek, And scornful look'd each mailed chief, To behold a youth so weak.
"Is it a girl," Gonsalvo cries, "That in our toils is caught?
That thus it weeps, in woman's guise, Where its fierce forefathers fought?" "Nay, hear my tale," exclaim'd the youth, His eye one moment bright'ning, "And Allah, if I speak not truth, Consume me with his lightning!
"From beauteous Malaga I came, But by no beaten way; Superb Granada was my aim,- Woe, woe the luckless day! For had I in my journey sped To Darro's rushing water, This morn Zorayda I had wed, Granada's fairest daughter.
"If pity then, or love's sweet power, E'er touch'd thy gallant breast, But grant me freedom for an hour- To the oar I give the rest;
These few bright moments yield in grace,
My mournful fate to tell,
To see once more Zorayda's face,
And take my long farewell!"
Gonsalvo had no marble heart, Albeit his look was stern;
He bade the Moorish youth depart, And ere set of sun return:
Each pass and strait the chieftain eyed, Yet sometimes turn'd his head,
To mark how down the mountain side His captive featly sped.
The Sierra's dazzling peak of snow Yet blush'd with rosy light,
When again the grieving Moor bow'd low Before the Christian knight;
But alone he came not, as he went, For a damsel press'd his arm, Faint as a rose by tempests bent, And quivering with alarm.
Awhile they stood in speechless gloom, She look'd at him and wept;
And the knights, still reckless of his doom, An equal silence kept.
At length the maid unveil'd her head. She knelt at the chieftain's knee, Few were the stifled words she said, But he well could guess the pica.
"Glazel, thy captive, Christian knight, is here by his solemn vow, Ho was my lover vesternight, He is my husband now; Without him he to me is vain,
And its sounding pageants hollow, With him I've promised to remain; Him, him alone I follow..
""Twas for me he dared, unwisely brave, The ambush'd road to take;
He was your foe, he is your slave, But he suffers for my sake:
Ah! then, his love still let me share, To whom I've pledged my oath; The fetters if you will prepare, But let them bind us both!"
Knights, little used to pity, sigh'd, They soften'd to his suit;
For her voice to their hearts was felt to glide Like music from a lute.
"Our arms," Gonsalvo said, "achieve The buttress, not the bower; My falchion's edged the oak to cleave, And not to crush the flower.
"Peace be to both! you both are free! Live happy; and whene'er To you a Christian bends his knee, Believe Gonsalvo there!"
They silent kiss'd his robes, and sped To their own dear Darro's water; And thus Gazul Zorayda wed, Granada's noblest daughter!
THE HAPPIEST TIME.
WHEN are we happiest-when the light of morn Wakes the young roses from their crimson rest; When cheerful sounds, upon the fresh winds borne, Tell man resumes his work with blither zest; While the bright waters leap from rock to glen Are we the happiest then?
Alas, those roses!-they will fade away, And thunder-tempests will deform the sky; And summer heats bid the spring buds decay, And the clear sparkling fountain may be dry; And nothing beauteous may adorn the scene,
To tell what it has been!
« PreviousContinue » |