I sawthe civil sun drying earth's tears,Her tears of joy that only faster flowed.[13]Fain would I stretch me by the highway-sideTo thaw and trickle with the melting snow;That mingled, soul and body, with the tide,I too may through the pores of nature flow.
I sawthe civil sun drying earth's tears,Her tears of joy that only faster flowed.[13]Fain would I stretch me by the highway-sideTo thaw and trickle with the melting snow;That mingled, soul and body, with the tide,I too may through the pores of nature flow.
I sawthe civil sun drying earth's tears,Her tears of joy that only faster flowed.[13]
I sawthe civil sun drying earth's tears,
Her tears of joy that only faster flowed.[13]
Fain would I stretch me by the highway-sideTo thaw and trickle with the melting snow;That mingled, soul and body, with the tide,I too may through the pores of nature flow.
Fain would I stretch me by the highway-side
To thaw and trickle with the melting snow;
That mingled, soul and body, with the tide,
I too may through the pores of nature flow.
Therabbit leaps,The mouse out-creeps,The flag out-peepsBeside the brook;The ferret weeps,The marmot sleeps,The owlet keepsIn his snug nook.The apples thaw,The ravens caw,The squirrels gnawThe frozen fruit.To their retreatI track the feetOf mice that eatThe apple's root.The snow-dust falls,The otter crawls,The partridge calls,Far in the wood.The traveler dreams,The tree-ice gleams,The blue jay screamsIn angry mood.The willows droop,The alders stoop,The pheasants groupBeneath the snow.The catkins greenCast o'er the sceneA summer's sheen,A genial glow.
Therabbit leaps,The mouse out-creeps,The flag out-peepsBeside the brook;The ferret weeps,The marmot sleeps,The owlet keepsIn his snug nook.The apples thaw,The ravens caw,The squirrels gnawThe frozen fruit.To their retreatI track the feetOf mice that eatThe apple's root.The snow-dust falls,The otter crawls,The partridge calls,Far in the wood.The traveler dreams,The tree-ice gleams,The blue jay screamsIn angry mood.The willows droop,The alders stoop,The pheasants groupBeneath the snow.The catkins greenCast o'er the sceneA summer's sheen,A genial glow.
Therabbit leaps,The mouse out-creeps,The flag out-peepsBeside the brook;The ferret weeps,The marmot sleeps,The owlet keepsIn his snug nook.
Therabbit leaps,
The mouse out-creeps,
The flag out-peeps
Beside the brook;
The ferret weeps,
The marmot sleeps,
The owlet keeps
In his snug nook.
The apples thaw,The ravens caw,The squirrels gnawThe frozen fruit.To their retreatI track the feetOf mice that eatThe apple's root.
The apples thaw,
The ravens caw,
The squirrels gnaw
The frozen fruit.
To their retreat
I track the feet
Of mice that eat
The apple's root.
The snow-dust falls,The otter crawls,The partridge calls,Far in the wood.The traveler dreams,The tree-ice gleams,The blue jay screamsIn angry mood.
The snow-dust falls,
The otter crawls,
The partridge calls,
Far in the wood.
The traveler dreams,
The tree-ice gleams,
The blue jay screams
In angry mood.
The willows droop,The alders stoop,The pheasants groupBeneath the snow.The catkins greenCast o'er the sceneA summer's sheen,A genial glow.
The willows droop,
The alders stoop,
The pheasants group
Beneath the snow.
The catkins green
Cast o'er the scene
A summer's sheen,
A genial glow.
Poorbird! destined to lead thy lifeFar in the adventurous west,And here to be debarred to-nightFrom thy accustomed nest;Must thou fall back upon old instinct now,Well-nigh extinct under man's fickle care?Did heaven bestow its quenchless inner light,So long ago, for thy small want to-night?Why stand'st upon thy toes to crow so late?The moon is deaf to thy low feathered fate;Or dost thou think so to possess the night,And people the drear dark with thy brave sprite?And now with anxious eye thou look'st about,While the relentless shade draws on its veil,For some sure shelter from approaching dews,And the insidious steps of nightly foes.I fear imprisonment has dulled thy wit,Or ingrained servitude extinguished it.But no; dim memory of the days of yore,By Brahmapootra and the Jumna's shore,Where thy proud race flew swiftly o'er the heath,And sought its food the jungle's shade beneath,Has taught thy wings to seek yon friendly trees,As erst by Indus' banks and far Ganges.
Poorbird! destined to lead thy lifeFar in the adventurous west,And here to be debarred to-nightFrom thy accustomed nest;Must thou fall back upon old instinct now,Well-nigh extinct under man's fickle care?Did heaven bestow its quenchless inner light,So long ago, for thy small want to-night?Why stand'st upon thy toes to crow so late?The moon is deaf to thy low feathered fate;Or dost thou think so to possess the night,And people the drear dark with thy brave sprite?And now with anxious eye thou look'st about,While the relentless shade draws on its veil,For some sure shelter from approaching dews,And the insidious steps of nightly foes.I fear imprisonment has dulled thy wit,Or ingrained servitude extinguished it.But no; dim memory of the days of yore,By Brahmapootra and the Jumna's shore,Where thy proud race flew swiftly o'er the heath,And sought its food the jungle's shade beneath,Has taught thy wings to seek yon friendly trees,As erst by Indus' banks and far Ganges.
Poorbird! destined to lead thy life
Far in the adventurous west,
And here to be debarred to-night
From thy accustomed nest;
Must thou fall back upon old instinct now,
Well-nigh extinct under man's fickle care?
Did heaven bestow its quenchless inner light,
So long ago, for thy small want to-night?
Why stand'st upon thy toes to crow so late?
The moon is deaf to thy low feathered fate;
Or dost thou think so to possess the night,
And people the drear dark with thy brave sprite?
And now with anxious eye thou look'st about,
While the relentless shade draws on its veil,
For some sure shelter from approaching dews,
And the insidious steps of nightly foes.
I fear imprisonment has dulled thy wit,
Or ingrained servitude extinguished it.
But no; dim memory of the days of yore,
By Brahmapootra and the Jumna's shore,
Where thy proud race flew swiftly o'er the heath,
And sought its food the jungle's shade beneath,
Has taught thy wings to seek yon friendly trees,
As erst by Indus' banks and far Ganges.
IfI am poor,It is that I am proud;If God has made me naked and a boor,He did not think it fit his work to shroud.The poor man comes direct from heaven to earth,As stars drop down the sky, and tropic beams;The rich receives in our gross air his birth,As from low suns are slanted golden gleams.Yon sun is naked, bare of satellite,Unless our earth and moon that office hold;Though his perpetual day feareth no night,And his perennial summer dreads no cold.Mankind may delve, but cannot my wealth spend;If I no partial wealth appropriate,No armèd ships unto the Indies send,None robs me of my Orient estate.
IfI am poor,It is that I am proud;If God has made me naked and a boor,He did not think it fit his work to shroud.The poor man comes direct from heaven to earth,As stars drop down the sky, and tropic beams;The rich receives in our gross air his birth,As from low suns are slanted golden gleams.Yon sun is naked, bare of satellite,Unless our earth and moon that office hold;Though his perpetual day feareth no night,And his perennial summer dreads no cold.Mankind may delve, but cannot my wealth spend;If I no partial wealth appropriate,No armèd ships unto the Indies send,None robs me of my Orient estate.
IfI am poor,It is that I am proud;If God has made me naked and a boor,He did not think it fit his work to shroud.
IfI am poor,
It is that I am proud;
If God has made me naked and a boor,
He did not think it fit his work to shroud.
The poor man comes direct from heaven to earth,As stars drop down the sky, and tropic beams;The rich receives in our gross air his birth,As from low suns are slanted golden gleams.
The poor man comes direct from heaven to earth,
As stars drop down the sky, and tropic beams;
The rich receives in our gross air his birth,
As from low suns are slanted golden gleams.
Yon sun is naked, bare of satellite,Unless our earth and moon that office hold;Though his perpetual day feareth no night,And his perennial summer dreads no cold.
Yon sun is naked, bare of satellite,
Unless our earth and moon that office hold;
Though his perpetual day feareth no night,
And his perennial summer dreads no cold.
Mankind may delve, but cannot my wealth spend;If I no partial wealth appropriate,No armèd ships unto the Indies send,None robs me of my Orient estate.
Mankind may delve, but cannot my wealth spend;
If I no partial wealth appropriate,
No armèd ships unto the Indies send,
None robs me of my Orient estate.
"Haveyou not seen,In ancient times,Pilgrims pass byToward other climes,With shining faces,Youthful and strong,Mounting this hillWith speech and with song?""Ah, my good sir,I know not those ways;Little my knowledge,Tho' many my days.When I have slumbered,I have heard soundsAs of travelers passingThese my grounds."'T was a sweet musicWafted them by,I could not tellIf afar off or nigh.Unless I dreamed it,This was of yore:I never told itTo mortal before,Never rememberedBut in my dreamsWhat to me wakingA miracle seems."
"Haveyou not seen,In ancient times,Pilgrims pass byToward other climes,With shining faces,Youthful and strong,Mounting this hillWith speech and with song?""Ah, my good sir,I know not those ways;Little my knowledge,Tho' many my days.When I have slumbered,I have heard soundsAs of travelers passingThese my grounds."'T was a sweet musicWafted them by,I could not tellIf afar off or nigh.Unless I dreamed it,This was of yore:I never told itTo mortal before,Never rememberedBut in my dreamsWhat to me wakingA miracle seems."
"Haveyou not seen,In ancient times,Pilgrims pass byToward other climes,With shining faces,Youthful and strong,Mounting this hillWith speech and with song?"
"Haveyou not seen,
In ancient times,
Pilgrims pass by
Toward other climes,
With shining faces,
Youthful and strong,
Mounting this hill
With speech and with song?"
"Ah, my good sir,I know not those ways;Little my knowledge,Tho' many my days.When I have slumbered,I have heard soundsAs of travelers passingThese my grounds.
"Ah, my good sir,
I know not those ways;
Little my knowledge,
Tho' many my days.
When I have slumbered,
I have heard sounds
As of travelers passing
These my grounds.
"'T was a sweet musicWafted them by,I could not tellIf afar off or nigh.Unless I dreamed it,This was of yore:I never told itTo mortal before,Never rememberedBut in my dreamsWhat to me wakingA miracle seems."
"'T was a sweet music
Wafted them by,
I could not tell
If afar off or nigh.
Unless I dreamed it,
This was of yore:
I never told it
To mortal before,
Never remembered
But in my dreams
What to me waking
A miracle seems."
Inthis roadstead I have ridden,In this covert I have hidden;Friendly thoughts were cliffs to me,And I hid beneath their lee.This true people took the stranger,And warm-hearted housed the ranger;They received their roving guest,And have fed him with the best;Whatsoe'er the land affordedTo the stranger's wish accorded;Shook the olive, stripped the vine,And expressed the strengthening wine.And by night they did spread o'er himWhat by day they spread before him;—That good-will which was repastWas his covering at last.The stranger moored him to their pierWithout anxiety or fear;By day he walked the sloping land,By night the gentle heavens he scanned.When first his bark stood inlandTo the coast of that far Finland,Sweet-watered brooks came tumbling to the shoreThe weary mariner to restore.And still he stayed from day to dayIf he their kindness might repay;But more and moreThe sullen waves came rolling toward the shore.And still the more the stranger waited,The less his argosy was freighted,And still the more he stayed,The less his debt was paid.So he unfurled his shrouded mastTo receive the fragrant blast;And that sane refreshing galeWhich had wooed him to remainAgain and again,It was that filled his sailAnd drove him to the main.All day the low-hung cloudsDropt tears into the sea;And the wind amid the shroudsSighed plaintively.
Inthis roadstead I have ridden,In this covert I have hidden;Friendly thoughts were cliffs to me,And I hid beneath their lee.This true people took the stranger,And warm-hearted housed the ranger;They received their roving guest,And have fed him with the best;Whatsoe'er the land affordedTo the stranger's wish accorded;Shook the olive, stripped the vine,And expressed the strengthening wine.And by night they did spread o'er himWhat by day they spread before him;—That good-will which was repastWas his covering at last.The stranger moored him to their pierWithout anxiety or fear;By day he walked the sloping land,By night the gentle heavens he scanned.When first his bark stood inlandTo the coast of that far Finland,Sweet-watered brooks came tumbling to the shoreThe weary mariner to restore.And still he stayed from day to dayIf he their kindness might repay;But more and moreThe sullen waves came rolling toward the shore.And still the more the stranger waited,The less his argosy was freighted,And still the more he stayed,The less his debt was paid.So he unfurled his shrouded mastTo receive the fragrant blast;And that sane refreshing galeWhich had wooed him to remainAgain and again,It was that filled his sailAnd drove him to the main.All day the low-hung cloudsDropt tears into the sea;And the wind amid the shroudsSighed plaintively.
Inthis roadstead I have ridden,In this covert I have hidden;Friendly thoughts were cliffs to me,And I hid beneath their lee.
Inthis roadstead I have ridden,
In this covert I have hidden;
Friendly thoughts were cliffs to me,
And I hid beneath their lee.
This true people took the stranger,And warm-hearted housed the ranger;They received their roving guest,And have fed him with the best;
This true people took the stranger,
And warm-hearted housed the ranger;
They received their roving guest,
And have fed him with the best;
Whatsoe'er the land affordedTo the stranger's wish accorded;Shook the olive, stripped the vine,And expressed the strengthening wine.
Whatsoe'er the land afforded
To the stranger's wish accorded;
Shook the olive, stripped the vine,
And expressed the strengthening wine.
And by night they did spread o'er himWhat by day they spread before him;—That good-will which was repastWas his covering at last.
And by night they did spread o'er him
What by day they spread before him;—
That good-will which was repast
Was his covering at last.
The stranger moored him to their pierWithout anxiety or fear;By day he walked the sloping land,By night the gentle heavens he scanned.
The stranger moored him to their pier
Without anxiety or fear;
By day he walked the sloping land,
By night the gentle heavens he scanned.
When first his bark stood inlandTo the coast of that far Finland,Sweet-watered brooks came tumbling to the shoreThe weary mariner to restore.
When first his bark stood inland
To the coast of that far Finland,
Sweet-watered brooks came tumbling to the shore
The weary mariner to restore.
And still he stayed from day to dayIf he their kindness might repay;But more and moreThe sullen waves came rolling toward the shore.
And still he stayed from day to day
If he their kindness might repay;
But more and more
The sullen waves came rolling toward the shore.
And still the more the stranger waited,The less his argosy was freighted,And still the more he stayed,The less his debt was paid.
And still the more the stranger waited,
The less his argosy was freighted,
And still the more he stayed,
The less his debt was paid.
So he unfurled his shrouded mastTo receive the fragrant blast;And that sane refreshing galeWhich had wooed him to remainAgain and again,It was that filled his sailAnd drove him to the main.
So he unfurled his shrouded mast
To receive the fragrant blast;
And that sane refreshing gale
Which had wooed him to remain
Again and again,
It was that filled his sail
And drove him to the main.
All day the low-hung cloudsDropt tears into the sea;And the wind amid the shroudsSighed plaintively.
All day the low-hung clouds
Dropt tears into the sea;
And the wind amid the shrouds
Sighed plaintively.
Mylife more civil is and freeThan any civil polity.Ye princes, keep your realmsAnd circumscribèd power,Not wide as are my dreams,Nor rich as is this hour.What can ye give which I have not?What can ye take which I have got?Can ye defend the dangerless?Can ye inherit nakedness?To all true wants Time's ear is deaf,Penurious states lend no reliefOut of their pelf:But a free soul—thank God—Can help itself.Be sure your fateDoth keep apart its state,Not linked with any band,Even the noblest of the land;In tented fields with cloth of goldNo place doth hold,But is more chivalrous than they are,And sigheth for a nobler war;A finer strain its trumpet sings,A brighter gleam its armor flings.The life that I aspire to liveNo man proposeth me;No trade upon the street[16]Wears its emblazonry.
Mylife more civil is and freeThan any civil polity.Ye princes, keep your realmsAnd circumscribèd power,Not wide as are my dreams,Nor rich as is this hour.What can ye give which I have not?What can ye take which I have got?Can ye defend the dangerless?Can ye inherit nakedness?To all true wants Time's ear is deaf,Penurious states lend no reliefOut of their pelf:But a free soul—thank God—Can help itself.Be sure your fateDoth keep apart its state,Not linked with any band,Even the noblest of the land;In tented fields with cloth of goldNo place doth hold,But is more chivalrous than they are,And sigheth for a nobler war;A finer strain its trumpet sings,A brighter gleam its armor flings.The life that I aspire to liveNo man proposeth me;No trade upon the street[16]Wears its emblazonry.
Mylife more civil is and freeThan any civil polity.
Mylife more civil is and free
Than any civil polity.
Ye princes, keep your realmsAnd circumscribèd power,Not wide as are my dreams,Nor rich as is this hour.
Ye princes, keep your realms
And circumscribèd power,
Not wide as are my dreams,
Nor rich as is this hour.
What can ye give which I have not?What can ye take which I have got?Can ye defend the dangerless?Can ye inherit nakedness?
What can ye give which I have not?
What can ye take which I have got?
Can ye defend the dangerless?
Can ye inherit nakedness?
To all true wants Time's ear is deaf,Penurious states lend no reliefOut of their pelf:But a free soul—thank God—Can help itself.
To all true wants Time's ear is deaf,
Penurious states lend no relief
Out of their pelf:
But a free soul—thank God—
Can help itself.
Be sure your fateDoth keep apart its state,Not linked with any band,Even the noblest of the land;
Be sure your fate
Doth keep apart its state,
Not linked with any band,
Even the noblest of the land;
In tented fields with cloth of goldNo place doth hold,But is more chivalrous than they are,And sigheth for a nobler war;A finer strain its trumpet sings,A brighter gleam its armor flings.
In tented fields with cloth of gold
No place doth hold,
But is more chivalrous than they are,
And sigheth for a nobler war;
A finer strain its trumpet sings,
A brighter gleam its armor flings.
The life that I aspire to liveNo man proposeth me;No trade upon the street[16]Wears its emblazonry.
The life that I aspire to live
No man proposeth me;
No trade upon the street[16]
Wears its emblazonry.
Whenthe world grows old by the chimney-sideThen forth to the youngling nooks I glide,Where over the water and over the landThe bells are booming on either hand.Now up they go ding, then down again dong,And awhile they ring to the same old song,For the metal goes round at a single bound,A-cutting the fields with its measured sound,While the tired tongue falls with a lengthened boomAs solemn and loud as the crack of doom.Then changed is their measure to tone upon tone,And seldom it is that one sound comes alone,For they ring out their peals in a mingled throng,And the breezes waft the loud ding-dong along.When the echo hath reached me in this lone vale,I am straightway a hero in coat of mail,I tug at my belt and I march on my post,And feel myself more than a match for a host.
Whenthe world grows old by the chimney-sideThen forth to the youngling nooks I glide,Where over the water and over the landThe bells are booming on either hand.Now up they go ding, then down again dong,And awhile they ring to the same old song,For the metal goes round at a single bound,A-cutting the fields with its measured sound,While the tired tongue falls with a lengthened boomAs solemn and loud as the crack of doom.Then changed is their measure to tone upon tone,And seldom it is that one sound comes alone,For they ring out their peals in a mingled throng,And the breezes waft the loud ding-dong along.When the echo hath reached me in this lone vale,I am straightway a hero in coat of mail,I tug at my belt and I march on my post,And feel myself more than a match for a host.
Whenthe world grows old by the chimney-sideThen forth to the youngling nooks I glide,Where over the water and over the landThe bells are booming on either hand.
Whenthe world grows old by the chimney-side
Then forth to the youngling nooks I glide,
Where over the water and over the land
The bells are booming on either hand.
Now up they go ding, then down again dong,And awhile they ring to the same old song,For the metal goes round at a single bound,A-cutting the fields with its measured sound,While the tired tongue falls with a lengthened boomAs solemn and loud as the crack of doom.
Now up they go ding, then down again dong,
And awhile they ring to the same old song,
For the metal goes round at a single bound,
A-cutting the fields with its measured sound,
While the tired tongue falls with a lengthened boom
As solemn and loud as the crack of doom.
Then changed is their measure to tone upon tone,And seldom it is that one sound comes alone,For they ring out their peals in a mingled throng,And the breezes waft the loud ding-dong along.
Then changed is their measure to tone upon tone,
And seldom it is that one sound comes alone,
For they ring out their peals in a mingled throng,
And the breezes waft the loud ding-dong along.
When the echo hath reached me in this lone vale,I am straightway a hero in coat of mail,I tug at my belt and I march on my post,And feel myself more than a match for a host.
When the echo hath reached me in this lone vale,
I am straightway a hero in coat of mail,
I tug at my belt and I march on my post,
And feel myself more than a match for a host.
Whoequaleth the coward's haste,And still inspires the faintest heart;Whose lofty fame is not disgraced,Though it assume the lowest part.
Whoequaleth the coward's haste,And still inspires the faintest heart;Whose lofty fame is not disgraced,Though it assume the lowest part.
Whoequaleth the coward's haste,
And still inspires the faintest heart;
Whose lofty fame is not disgraced,
Though it assume the lowest part.
Ifthou wilt but stand by my ear,When through the field thy anthem's rung,When that is done I will not fearBut the same power will abet my tongue.
Ifthou wilt but stand by my ear,When through the field thy anthem's rung,When that is done I will not fearBut the same power will abet my tongue.
Ifthou wilt but stand by my ear,
When through the field thy anthem's rung,
When that is done I will not fear
But the same power will abet my tongue.
I'vesearched my faculties around,To learn why life to me was lent:I will attend the faintest sound,And then declare to man what God hath meant.
I'vesearched my faculties around,To learn why life to me was lent:I will attend the faintest sound,And then declare to man what God hath meant.
I'vesearched my faculties around,
To learn why life to me was lent:
I will attend the faintest sound,
And then declare to man what God hath meant.
Nogenerous action can delayOr thwart our higher, steadier aims;But if sincere and true are they,It will arouse our sight, and nerve our frames.
Nogenerous action can delayOr thwart our higher, steadier aims;But if sincere and true are they,It will arouse our sight, and nerve our frames.
Nogenerous action can delay
Or thwart our higher, steadier aims;
But if sincere and true are they,
It will arouse our sight, and nerve our frames.
GreatGod! I ask thee for no meaner pelfThan that I may not disappoint myself;That in my action I may soar as highAs I can now discern with this clear eye;And next in value, which thy kindness lends,That I may greatly disappoint my friends,Howe'er they think or hope it that may be,They may not dream how thou 'st distinguished me;That my weak hand may equal my firm faith,And my life practice more than my tongue saith;That my low conduct may not show,Nor my relenting lines,That I thy purpose did not know,Or overrated thy designs.
GreatGod! I ask thee for no meaner pelfThan that I may not disappoint myself;That in my action I may soar as highAs I can now discern with this clear eye;And next in value, which thy kindness lends,That I may greatly disappoint my friends,Howe'er they think or hope it that may be,They may not dream how thou 'st distinguished me;That my weak hand may equal my firm faith,And my life practice more than my tongue saith;That my low conduct may not show,Nor my relenting lines,That I thy purpose did not know,Or overrated thy designs.
GreatGod! I ask thee for no meaner pelfThan that I may not disappoint myself;That in my action I may soar as highAs I can now discern with this clear eye;
GreatGod! I ask thee for no meaner pelf
Than that I may not disappoint myself;
That in my action I may soar as high
As I can now discern with this clear eye;
And next in value, which thy kindness lends,That I may greatly disappoint my friends,Howe'er they think or hope it that may be,They may not dream how thou 'st distinguished me;
And next in value, which thy kindness lends,
That I may greatly disappoint my friends,
Howe'er they think or hope it that may be,
They may not dream how thou 'st distinguished me;
That my weak hand may equal my firm faith,And my life practice more than my tongue saith;That my low conduct may not show,Nor my relenting lines,That I thy purpose did not know,Or overrated thy designs.
That my weak hand may equal my firm faith,
And my life practice more than my tongue saith;
That my low conduct may not show,
Nor my relenting lines,
That I thy purpose did not know,
Or overrated thy designs.
***