MY NATIVE BAY.

MY NATIVE BAY.

My native bay is calm and bright,As e’er it was of yoreWhen, in the days of hope and love,I stood upon its shore;The sky is glowing, soft, and blue,As once in youth it smiled,When summer seas and summer skiesWhere always bright and mild.The sky—how oft hath darkness dwelt,Since then, upon its breast;The sea—how oft have tempests brokeIts gentle dream of rest!So oft hath darker woe come o’erCalm self-enjoying thought;And passion’s storms a wilder sceneWithin my bosom wrought.Now, after years of absence, pass’dIn wretchedness and pain,I come and find those seas and skiesAll calm and bright again.The darkness and the storm from bothHave trackless pass’d away;And gentle as in youth, once moreThou seem’st, my native bay!Oh, that, like thee, when toil is o’er,And all my griefs are past,This ravaged bosom might subsideTo peace and joy at last!And while it lay all calm like thee,In pure unruffled sleep,Oh, might a heaven as bright as thisBe mirror’d in its deep!R. C.

My native bay is calm and bright,As e’er it was of yoreWhen, in the days of hope and love,I stood upon its shore;The sky is glowing, soft, and blue,As once in youth it smiled,When summer seas and summer skiesWhere always bright and mild.The sky—how oft hath darkness dwelt,Since then, upon its breast;The sea—how oft have tempests brokeIts gentle dream of rest!So oft hath darker woe come o’erCalm self-enjoying thought;And passion’s storms a wilder sceneWithin my bosom wrought.Now, after years of absence, pass’dIn wretchedness and pain,I come and find those seas and skiesAll calm and bright again.The darkness and the storm from bothHave trackless pass’d away;And gentle as in youth, once moreThou seem’st, my native bay!Oh, that, like thee, when toil is o’er,And all my griefs are past,This ravaged bosom might subsideTo peace and joy at last!And while it lay all calm like thee,In pure unruffled sleep,Oh, might a heaven as bright as thisBe mirror’d in its deep!R. C.

My native bay is calm and bright,As e’er it was of yoreWhen, in the days of hope and love,I stood upon its shore;The sky is glowing, soft, and blue,As once in youth it smiled,When summer seas and summer skiesWhere always bright and mild.

My native bay is calm and bright,

As e’er it was of yore

When, in the days of hope and love,

I stood upon its shore;

The sky is glowing, soft, and blue,

As once in youth it smiled,

When summer seas and summer skies

Where always bright and mild.

The sky—how oft hath darkness dwelt,Since then, upon its breast;The sea—how oft have tempests brokeIts gentle dream of rest!So oft hath darker woe come o’erCalm self-enjoying thought;And passion’s storms a wilder sceneWithin my bosom wrought.

The sky—how oft hath darkness dwelt,

Since then, upon its breast;

The sea—how oft have tempests broke

Its gentle dream of rest!

So oft hath darker woe come o’er

Calm self-enjoying thought;

And passion’s storms a wilder scene

Within my bosom wrought.

Now, after years of absence, pass’dIn wretchedness and pain,I come and find those seas and skiesAll calm and bright again.The darkness and the storm from bothHave trackless pass’d away;And gentle as in youth, once moreThou seem’st, my native bay!

Now, after years of absence, pass’d

In wretchedness and pain,

I come and find those seas and skies

All calm and bright again.

The darkness and the storm from both

Have trackless pass’d away;

And gentle as in youth, once more

Thou seem’st, my native bay!

Oh, that, like thee, when toil is o’er,And all my griefs are past,This ravaged bosom might subsideTo peace and joy at last!And while it lay all calm like thee,In pure unruffled sleep,Oh, might a heaven as bright as thisBe mirror’d in its deep!

Oh, that, like thee, when toil is o’er,

And all my griefs are past,

This ravaged bosom might subside

To peace and joy at last!

And while it lay all calm like thee,

In pure unruffled sleep,

Oh, might a heaven as bright as this

Be mirror’d in its deep!

R. C.

R. C.


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