THE WAVE. 1823. (SUGGESTED BY AN EARLY RECOLLECTION OF A BEAUTIFUL POEM BY SHELLEY, ENTITLED 'THE CLOUD.') A BEING I take from the fountains that break In the depths of the ocean sand, And my form is curled through the yielding world To freshen the living land. And the sparkles I fling from my watery wing, As it mounts to meet the day, Are gems for the hair of the sea-girls fair That rise on my shining way. I pass by the place where the earth's cold race And the lovely and lone have found a throne I sing for hours to leaves and flowers But sprinkle their sheen of gold and green I glide like a smile o'er the coral pile, With the ocean snake entwined; And sweep in my track the dolphin's back, Bright wealth on my wings for a hundred kings From the sea's blue mine I bring; The loveliest glare that slumbers there I waft like a waking thing, While I strew the strands with diamond sands, And to beauty a pearl I fling. And every star on its cloud-built car Beholds its dominion of light, As I welcome each ray with a spark from the spray That trembles and shines all night. I waft some skiff where an eye on the cliff Looks fearfully o'er the foam, And save from the deck of some beautiful wreck The riches of those that roam. While all that have being in water are seeing As I dart where pride hath splashed and died, And pain hath shrieked adieu; Where fear hath gasped, where hope hath clasped, And love when life was new. The cloud on high, the wave of the sky, I choose for my shadowy bride, And she comes sometimes from her shoreless climes, And kisses my trembling tide. But like all that is fair, on earth or in air, And weeps on my flood her silvery blood That gushes in silent rain. Then I turn from my bower of the fresh sea-flower, Which an emerald lamp hangs o'er; I moan farewell to my palace of shell, Where the song-echo woke before— And the night-spirits dim hear my last low hymn As I faint on the fading shore. ON THE SICKNESS OF A CHILD. A CHILLING fear pervades my breast For thee, my stricken child! The hope within me is repressed, For death looks through my dream of rest, With aspect wan and wild. A gloomy and a gathering fear, My eyes perchance have scarce a tear, And mine hath wept, my blighted boy; To think how frail a thing is Joy, When darkening doubts so soon destroy The graces of its brow. Our hopes should have but humble wings, In outward and unholy things, Of feeling and of thought. Spectre of Pride, art thou my own, My little laughing child? Whose voice was as a wakening tone, Teaching my step once more to wind Yes, yes, thou art my own, although Oh, yes, thou art my own-the leaf, A harmony within my ears, A brightness round my brow, A growing warmth through wintry years. |