And now it is passing over the river, Balmy breeze!—I behold not thee, -The imperial votaress passed on In maiden meditation, fancy free. Midsummer's Night Dream. Shall I never see a bachelor of three-score again? WHEN the tree of love is budding first, Ere yet its leaves are green, Ere yet, by shower and sunbeam nurst The wild bee's slightest touch might wring As the gentle dip of the swallow's wing LOVE. But when its open leaves have found A home in the free air, Pluck them, and there remains a wound The blight of hope and happiness Is felt when fond ones part, And the bitter tear that follows is The life-blood of the heart. When the flame of love is kindled first, Come on the memory, they pass o'er But when that flame has blazed into And smiled in scorn upon the dew That fell in its first warm hour, 145 "T is the flame that curls round the martyr's head, Whose task is to destroy ! "T is the lamp on the altars of the dead, Whose light is not of joy! Then crush, even in their hour of birth, The infant buds of Love, And tread his growing fire to earth, 146 HIGHLAND BALLAD. Ere 't is dark in clouds above; HIGHLAND BALLAD. THE MINSTREL. BY J. W. MILLER. FAIR lot befall the minstrel! Bright sky and shadeless earth. To breathe the tints of beauty, Let spring for him the fountains, For he is born of them,— To weave for him the song-spell, HIGHLAND BALLAD. Trace ye his boundless empire With pencils of the red fire He walks a monarch there! Its clouds his temple dome, And when the day is glowing That he may know what dreams float And fair befall the minstrel In princely halls of wassail Fill him the cup of cheer, While o'er the conqueror's festal 147 148 THE MERMAID'S SONG. His harp is linging clear; Spread fresh his heather bed, So through life's deserts dreary, COME, mariner, down in the deep with me, For I have a bed of coral for thee; On a pillow of pearls thine eye shall sleep, And nothing disturb thee there; The fishes their silent vigils shall keep― There shall be no grass thy grave to sweep But the silk of the Mermaid's hair. |