LIFE. OH Life! I breathe thee in the breeze, I see thee in these stretching trees, These flowers, this still rock's mossy stains. This stream of odours flowing by From clover-field and clumps of pine, This music, thrilling all the sky, From all the morning birds, are thine. Thou fill'st with joy this little one, That leaps and shouts beside me here, Where Isar's clay-white rivulets run Through the dark woods like frighted deer. Ah! must thy mighty breath, that wakes Their daily gladness, pass from me Pass, pulse by pulse, till o'er the ground These limbs, now strong, shall creep with pain, And this fair world of sight and sound Seem fading into night again? The things, oh LIFE! thou quickenest, all Back to earth's bosom when they die. All that have borne the touch of death, That living zone 'twixt earth and air. There lies my chamber dark and still, In the sweet air and sunshine sweet. Well, I have had my turn, have been And for a glorious moment seen The brightness of the skirts of God; And knew the light within my breast, The power, the will, that never rest, Dear child! I know that thou wilt grieve Thy little heart will soon be healed, When we descend to dust again, Where will the final dwelling be "EARTH'S CHILDREN CLEAVE TO EARTH." EARTH'S children cleave to Earth-her frail Decaying children dread decay. Yon wreath of mist that leaves the vale, Look, how, by mountain rivulet, Dark maples where the wood-thrush sings, Yet all in vain-it passes still From hold to hold, it cannot stay, And in the very beams that fill The world with glory, wastes away, Till, parting from the mountain's brow, And that which sprung of earth is now A portion of the glorious sky. THE HUNTER'S VISION. UPON a rock that, high and sheer, Rose from the mountain's breast, A weary hunter of the deer Had sat him down to rest, And bared to the soft summer air All dim in haze the mountains lay, While ever rose a murmuring sound, He listened, till he seemed to hear The listener scarce might know. With such a tone, so sweet and mild, The watching mother lulls her child. |