TO MY COMPANIONS. All day thy wings have fanned, At that far height, the cold thin atmosphere, And soon that toil shall end, 95 Soon shalt thou find a summer home, and rest, And scream among thy fellows; reeds shall bend, Soon, o'er thy sheltered nest. Thou 'rt gone, the abyss of heaven He, who, from zone to zone, Guides through the boundless ský thy certain flight, TO MY COMPANIONS. [From the Collegian.] MINE ancient chair-thy wide embracing arms Have clasped around me even from a boy; 96 TO MY COMPANIONS. And thou my table-though unwearied time And in my memory thou art living now; 2 Thou melancholy mug-thy sober brown Hath something pensive in its evening hue, Not like the things that please the tasteless clown ̧ With gaudy streaks of orange and of blue; And I must love thee, for thou art mine own, Pressed by my lip, and pressed by mine alone. My broken mirror-faithless, yet beloved, I scorn the siren, but obey the call; Primeval carpet-every well-worn thread I love you all-there radiates from our own THE ARCTIC LOVER. There is a voice, to other ears unknown, And these poor frailties have a simple tone, 97 THE ARCTIC LOVER TO HIS MISTRESS GONE is the long long winter night, How glorious, through his depths of light, Rolls the majestic sun. The willows, waked from winter's death, Aye 't is the long bright summer day: The loosened ice-ridge breaks away- Seaward the glittering mountain rides, See, love, my boat is moored for thee, 98 THE ARCTIC LOVER. The pettrel does not skim the sea We'll go where, on the rocky isles, Or, bide thee where the poppy blows, Fierce though he be, and huge of frame, When crimson sky and flamy cloud And snows, that melt no more, enshroud I'll build of ice thy winter home, The white fox by thy couch shall play; Shall flash upon thine eyes. And 1-for such thy vow-meanwhile, STRANGE! that one lightly whispered tone Than all the sounds that kiss the earth, But Lady, when thy voice I greet, I look upon the fair blue skies, And nought but empty air, I see; Ten thousand angels spread their wings The lily hath a softer leaf, Than ever western wind hath fanned, That little hand to me doth yield O lady! there be many things |