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Oh think not, my mother, I ever shall part
From a token thus soothing and sweet to my heart;
That the dear little volume thus coming from thee,
Shall e'er be less valued, less cherish'd by me.
When the fathomless future its page shall unfold,
When time o'er this head now so youthful has roll'd
And left me like others, gray, wither'd and old,
Then, then shall this gift of the merry new year,
From the loved one whose spirit no longer is here,
Impart a sweet sadness, and draw the warm tear.
'Twill bring fresh to remembrance my own lovely home,
And each feeling, each hope which is now in its bloom.
As a fair little talisman bound up with joy

'Twill be clasp'd to my bosom its fond hopes to buoy, And the love now within it must cease there to dwell, When I bid this dear volume a lasting farewell.

1835.

TO FANCY.

FLY on, aerial Fancy! fly

Back, back through many an age,
To scenes which long have glided by,
Untold on history's page.

Oh, stretch thy heavenward wings and soar
Through clouds mysterious and sublime,
To scenes which earth shall view no more,
Far down the dark abyss of time.

Lit by thy pure, celestial touch,
Earth, heaven, and sea have softly glow'd,
Nought in created space which ne'er
To thine enchanting sway hath bow'd.

Worlds framed and beautified by thee,
Have glow'd with every rainbow hue,
And o'er each meaner thing thy form
Hath shed a radiance as it flew.

All potent fancy! deign to bend

One glance upon thy suppliant here!
Thy glowing car in kindness send,
And bear me to thy beauteous sphere.

Believe me, thou hast ever been

The cherish'd monarch of my heart!
There's not one thought, one hope, one scene,
In which thy vagaries have no part.

Then deign to look with pitying eye
Upon thy votary's bended form;
Disperse each cloud from yonder sky,
And clasp me in thy guardian arm.

1835.

INVOCATION TO SPRING.

BEND down from thy chariot, oh beautiful Spring,
Unfold like a standard thy radiant wing,
And beauty and joy in thy rosy path bring!
We long for thy coming, sweet goddess of love,
We watch for thy smile in the pure sky above,
And we sigh for the hour when the wood birds shall sing,
And nature shall welcome thee, beautiful Spring!
How the lone heart will bound as thy presence draws near,
As if borne from this world to some lovelier sphere !
How the fond soul to meet thee in raptures shall rise,
When thy first blush has tinted the earth and the skies.

Oh, send thy soft breath on the icy-bound stream,
'Twill vanish, 'twill melt, like the forms in a dream,
Released from its chains, like a child in its glee,
'Twill flow on in its beauty, all sparkling and free.
It will spring on in joy, like a bird on the wing,
And hail thee with music, oh beautiful Spring !
But tread with thy foot on the snow-cover'd plain,
And verdure and beauty shall smile in thy train.
Only whisper one word with thy seraph-like voice,
And nature to hear the sweet sound shall rejoice !
Oh, Spring! lovely goddess! what form can compare
With thine so resplendent, so glowing, so fair ?
What sunbeam so bright as thine own smiling eye,
At whose glance the dark spirits of winter do fly ?
A garland of roses is twined round thy brow,
Thy cheek like the pale blush of evening doth glow;
A mantle of green o'er thy soft form is spread,
And the zephyr's light wing gently plays round thy head.
Oh, could I but mount on the eagle's dark wing,
And rest ever beside thee, Spring, beautiful Spring!
Methinks, I behold thee! I hear thy soft voice!
And in fulness of heart I rejoice! I rejoice!

But the cold wind is moaning, the drear snow doth fall,
And nought but the shrieking blast echoes my call.
Oh, heed the frail offering an infant can bring !
Oh, grant my petition, Spring, beautiful Spring!

1835.

FROM THE ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-NINTH PSALM.

WHERE from thy presence shall I flee ?
Where seek a hiding-place from thee?
If the pure breath of heaven I share,
Lo! I shall find thy spirit there!
If wandering to the depths of hell,
I trust in secrecy to dwell,

1835.

Behold! in all thy power and might,
Thou, Lord, shalt pierce the veil of night.
If on the radiant wings of morn
To unknown lands I'm gently borne;
There, even there thy hand shall lead,
Thy voice support my sinking head.
If to my inmost soul I say,
Darkness and night shall shroud my way,
That darkness shall dissolve in light,
And day usurp the throne of night.
No power can dim thy searching eye,
Or bid thy guardian spirit fly.
Thou knowest well each infant thought,
Which passion, pride, or sin has taught;
And doubts and fears, but half express'd,
To thee, Almighty, stand confess'd.
Plain as the waves of yonder sea,
Man's subtlest thoughts are known to thee.
From the small insect tribe, which plays
Within the sun's enlivening rays,
To the broad ocean waves, which rise
In heaving billows to the skies.
Or great or small, each work of thine,
It whispers of a hand divine.
Each breeze which fans the twilight hour,
Speeds onward, guided by thy power;
Each wind which wildly sweeps abroad,
Is teeming with the voice of God.

STANZAS.

THE power of mind, the force of genius,
Oh, what human heart can tell,
Or the deep and stirring thoughts,
Which in the poet's bosom dwell !

The high and holy dreams of heaven, Which raise the soul above

This world of care, this sphere of sin, To realms of light and love.

Oh, who can tell its energy ?
The spirit's power and might,
When genius, with sublimest force,
Appoints its upward flight,-

And lifts the struggling soul above
This prison-house of clay,
To roam amid the fancied realms
Of glory and of day !

And breathes immortal vigour
To sustain it through this life,
The index of a higher world,
With power and beauty rife.

Oh, how sublime the very thought,
That this frail form of mine
Contains a spirit destined soon
In purer worlds to shine.

T'unfold its infant energies,
In an immortal clime,
And far more glorious become
Each passing hour of time.

That it contains the heavenly germ
Of future being now,
Created there to beautify,

Where clearer waters flow.

And there expand the glowing bud,
'Mid worlds of light and love,
Through the bright realms of ether,
In glory still to rove.

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