KINDRED HEARTS. OH! ask not, hope thou not too much Of sympathy below! Few are the hearts whence one same touch Few- and by still conflicting powers Such ties would make this life of ours It may be that thy brother's eye A rapture o'er thy soul can bring- The tune that speaks of other times- The melody of distant climes The sound of waves by night; The wind, that, with so many a tone, Yet scorn thou not for this, the true The kindly, that from childhood grew If there be one, that, o'er the dead, And watch'd through sickness by thy bed- But for those bonds all perfect made Oh! lay thy lovely dreams aside, A THOUGHT OF THE ROSE. How much of memory dwells amidst thy bloom, The bridal day — the festival — the tomb — Therefore with thy soft breath come floating by Dreams filled with tokens of mortality, Deep thoughts of all things beautiful and brief. Not such thy spells o'er those that hail'd thee first, There thy rich leaves to crimson glory burst, Rose! for the banquet gathered, and the bier; Rose! colored now by human hope or pain: Surely, where death is not nor change, nor fear, Yet may we meet thee, Joy's own flower, again! THE PARTING OF SUMMER. THOU'RT bearing hence thy roses, Glad Summer,—fare thee well! Thou'rt singing thy last melodies In every wood and dell. But in the golden sunset Of thy latest lingering day, Oh! tell me, o'er this chequered earth, Brightly, sweet Summer! brightly Thine hours are floated by, To the joyous birds of the woodland boughs, And brightly in the forests To the wild deer wandering free; And brightly 'midst the garden flowers To the happy murmuring bee. But how to human bosoms, With all their hopes and fears, And thoughts that make them eagle wings Sweet Summer! to the captive Thou hast flown in burning dreams Of the woods, with all their whispering leaves, And the blue rejoicing streams: To the wasted and the weary, On the bed of sick ess bound, In sweet delicious fantasies, That changed with every sound: To the sailor on the billows, In longings wild and vain, From the gushing founts and breezy hills And the homes of earth again! And unto me, glad Summer! How hast thou flown to me? My chainless footsteps nought hath kept From thy haunts of song and glee. Thou hast flown in wayward visions, In shadows from a troubled heart, In brief and sudden strivings, But oh! thou gentle Summer, If I greet thy flowers once more, Bring me again thy buoyancy, Wherewith my soul should soar! Give me to hail thy sunshine, Or in a purer air than this May that next meeting be. THE SONG OF NIGHT. I COME to thee, O Earth! With all my gifts: - for every flower, sweet dew, In bell, and urn, and chalice, to renew The glory of its birth. Not one which glimmering lies Far amidst folding hills or forest leaves, I come with every star Making thy streams, that, on their noonday track, I come with peace; I shed Sleep through thy wood-walks o'er the honey-bee, The lark's triumphant voice, the fawn's young glee, The hyacinth's meek head. On my own heart I lay The weary babe, and, sealing with a breath I come with mightier things: Who calls me silent? I have many tones— 4* |