THE PARTING. 'Twas a fit hour for parting, For athwart the leaden sky And sailing gloomily: The earth was drunk with heaven's tears, And each moaning autumn breeze Shook the burthen of its weeping Off the overladen trees. The waterfall rush'd swollen down, And my spirit felt thy low deep sigh SONG. WHEN you mournfully rivet your tear-laden eyes, That have seen the last sunset of hope pass away, On some bright orb that seems, thro' the still, sapphire skies, In beauty and splendour to roll on its way: Oh, remember this earth, if beheld from afar, Appears wrapt in a halo as soft, and as bright, As the pure silver radiance enshrining yon star, Where your spirit is eagerly soaring to-night. And at this very midnight, perhaps, some poor heart, That is aching, or breaking, in that distant sphere; Gazes down on this dark world, and longs to depart From its own dismal home, to a happier one here. TO A STAR. THOU little star, that in the purple clouds The heritage of death, disease, decay; Where all things fairest, soonest pass away? And are there graves in thee, thou radiant world, Round which life's sweetest buds fall withered, Where hope's bright wings in the dark earth lie furled, And living hearts are mouldering with the dead? Perchance they do not die, that dwell in thee, Perchance theirs is a darker doom than ours; Unchanging wo, and endless misery, And mourning that hath neither days nor hours. Horrible dream!-Oh dark and dismal path, Where I now weeping walk, I will not leave thee. Earth has one boon for all her children-death: Open thy arms, oh mother! and receive me! Take off the bitter burthen from the slave, Give me my birth-right! give-the grave, the grave! SONNET. THOU poisonous laurel leaf, that in the soil For thee, and yet thou still com'st darkening o'er Breathing on youth's sweet roses till they fade? Alas! thou art an evil weed of wo, Watered with tears and watch'd with sleepless care, Seldom doth envy thy green glories spare ; And yet men covet thee-ah, wherefore do they so! 8* |