THE LONELY PINE
IREMOTE, upon the sunset shrineOf a green hill, a lonely pineBeckons this hungry heart of mine."Draw near," it always seems to say,Look thither whensoe'er I mayFrom the dull routine of my way:"I hold for thee the heavens in trust;My priestly branches toward thee thrust.Absolve thy fret, assoil thy dust."IIYet if I come it heeds not me;The stars amid the branches seeBut lonely man and lonely tree,—And lonely earth that holds in thrallHer creatures, while Eve gathers allTo fold within her shadowy wall.Now, with this spell around me thrown,Dreaming of social pleasures flown,I grieve, yet joy, to be alone;While whispering through its solitude,Far from its green-robed brotherhood,The pine tree shares my wonted mood.It museth that felicityWhich, being not, we deem may be,And mingles hope and certainty.IIIIn starry senate doth ariseThe lumined spirit of the skies,Walking with radiant ministries.Yet in my lonely pine tree dwells,When 'mid its breast the warm wind swells,A prophet of sweet oracles.Like a faint sea on far-off shore,With its low elfin roll and roar,It speaks one language evermore;—One language, unconstrained and free,The converse of the answering sea,The old rune of Eternity.Then, from this lonely sunset shrine,I turn to toils and cares of mine,And, grateful, bless my healing pine.
IREMOTE, upon the sunset shrineOf a green hill, a lonely pineBeckons this hungry heart of mine."Draw near," it always seems to say,Look thither whensoe'er I mayFrom the dull routine of my way:"I hold for thee the heavens in trust;My priestly branches toward thee thrust.Absolve thy fret, assoil thy dust."IIYet if I come it heeds not me;The stars amid the branches seeBut lonely man and lonely tree,—And lonely earth that holds in thrallHer creatures, while Eve gathers allTo fold within her shadowy wall.Now, with this spell around me thrown,Dreaming of social pleasures flown,I grieve, yet joy, to be alone;While whispering through its solitude,Far from its green-robed brotherhood,The pine tree shares my wonted mood.It museth that felicityWhich, being not, we deem may be,And mingles hope and certainty.IIIIn starry senate doth ariseThe lumined spirit of the skies,Walking with radiant ministries.Yet in my lonely pine tree dwells,When 'mid its breast the warm wind swells,A prophet of sweet oracles.Like a faint sea on far-off shore,With its low elfin roll and roar,It speaks one language evermore;—One language, unconstrained and free,The converse of the answering sea,The old rune of Eternity.Then, from this lonely sunset shrine,I turn to toils and cares of mine,And, grateful, bless my healing pine.
IREMOTE, upon the sunset shrineOf a green hill, a lonely pineBeckons this hungry heart of mine.
I
REMOTE, upon the sunset shrine
Of a green hill, a lonely pine
Beckons this hungry heart of mine.
"Draw near," it always seems to say,Look thither whensoe'er I mayFrom the dull routine of my way:
"Draw near," it always seems to say,
Look thither whensoe'er I may
From the dull routine of my way:
"I hold for thee the heavens in trust;My priestly branches toward thee thrust.Absolve thy fret, assoil thy dust."
"I hold for thee the heavens in trust;
My priestly branches toward thee thrust.
Absolve thy fret, assoil thy dust."
IIYet if I come it heeds not me;The stars amid the branches seeBut lonely man and lonely tree,—
II
Yet if I come it heeds not me;
The stars amid the branches see
But lonely man and lonely tree,—
And lonely earth that holds in thrallHer creatures, while Eve gathers allTo fold within her shadowy wall.
And lonely earth that holds in thrall
Her creatures, while Eve gathers all
To fold within her shadowy wall.
Now, with this spell around me thrown,Dreaming of social pleasures flown,I grieve, yet joy, to be alone;
Now, with this spell around me thrown,
Dreaming of social pleasures flown,
I grieve, yet joy, to be alone;
While whispering through its solitude,Far from its green-robed brotherhood,The pine tree shares my wonted mood.
While whispering through its solitude,
Far from its green-robed brotherhood,
The pine tree shares my wonted mood.
It museth that felicityWhich, being not, we deem may be,And mingles hope and certainty.
It museth that felicity
Which, being not, we deem may be,
And mingles hope and certainty.
IIIIn starry senate doth ariseThe lumined spirit of the skies,Walking with radiant ministries.
III
In starry senate doth arise
The lumined spirit of the skies,
Walking with radiant ministries.
Yet in my lonely pine tree dwells,When 'mid its breast the warm wind swells,A prophet of sweet oracles.
Yet in my lonely pine tree dwells,
When 'mid its breast the warm wind swells,
A prophet of sweet oracles.
Like a faint sea on far-off shore,With its low elfin roll and roar,It speaks one language evermore;—
Like a faint sea on far-off shore,
With its low elfin roll and roar,
It speaks one language evermore;—
One language, unconstrained and free,The converse of the answering sea,The old rune of Eternity.
One language, unconstrained and free,
The converse of the answering sea,
The old rune of Eternity.
Then, from this lonely sunset shrine,I turn to toils and cares of mine,And, grateful, bless my healing pine.
Then, from this lonely sunset shrine,
I turn to toils and cares of mine,
And, grateful, bless my healing pine.