Nowfromthemeadowfloodsthewildduckclamours,Nowthewoodpigeonwingsarapidflight,Nowthehomewardrookeryfollowsupitsvanguard,Andthevalleymistsarecurlingupthehills。
  Threeshortsongsgestheclear-voicedthrostle,Sweeteningthetwilighterehefillsthenest;
  WhilethelittlebirdupontheleaflessbranchesTweetstoitsmateatinylongnote。
  Deeperthestillnesshangsoneverymotion;
  Calmerthesilencefollowseverycall;
  Nowallisquietsavetheroostingpheasant,Thebell-wether’stinkleandthewatch-dog’sbark。
  Softlyshinethelightsfromthesilentkindlinghomestead,Starsofthehearthtotheshepherdinthefold;
  Springsofdesiretothetravellerontheroadway;
  Everbreathingincensetotheever-blessingsky!
  Howbarrenwouldthisvalleybe,WithoutthegoldenorbthatgazesOnit,broadeningtohuesOfrose,andspreadingwingsofamber;
  Blessingitbeforeitfallsasleep。
  Howbarrenwouldthisvalleybe,WithoutthehumanlesnowbeatingInit,orthethrobbingheartsFardistant,whotheirflowerofchildhoodCherishhere,andwateritwithtears!
  HowbarrenshouldIbe,wereI
  Withoutabovethatlongsplendour,Sheddinglightandwarmth!withoutSomekindrednaturesofmykindTojoyinme,oryearntowardsmenow!
  Summerglowswarmonthemeadows,andspeedwell,andgold-cups,anddaisiesDarken’middeepeningmassesofsorrel,andshadowygrassesShowtheripehuetothefarmer,andsummonthescytheandthehay-
  makersDownfromthellage;andnow,evennow,theairsmellsofthemowing,Andthesharpsongofthescythewhistlesdaily;fromdawn,tillthegloamingWearsitscoolstar,sweetandwelcometoallflamingfacesafieldnow;
  Healyweighsthehotseason,anddrowsesthedarkeningfoliage,Droopingwithlanguor;thewhitecloudfloats,butsailsnot,forwindlessHeaven’sbluetentsit;nolarksingingupinitsfleecywhitevalleys;
  Upinitsfairywhitevalleys,oncefeatheredwithminstrels,melodiousWiththeinsiblejoythatwakesdawno’erthegreenfieldsofEngland。
  Summerglowswarmonthemeadows;thencome,letusroamthro’themgaily,Heedlessofheat,andthehot-kissingsun,andthefearofdarkfreckles。
  Neveronekisswillhegeonaneck,oralily-whiteforehead,Chin,hand,orbosomuncovered,allpanting,totakethechancecoolness,Butfullsurethefierypressureleavessealofespousal。
  Heedhimnot;come,tho’hekisstillthesoftlittleupper-liplosesHalfitspurewhiteness;justspeck’dwherethecurveoftherosymouthreddens。
  Come,lethimkiss,lethimkiss,andhiskissesshallmaketheethesweeter。
  Thouartnonun,veiledandvowed;doomedtonourishawitheringpallor!
  Cityexoticsbesidetheewouldshowlikebleachedlinenatmid-day,Hunguponhedgesofeglantine!Thouinthefreedomofnature,Fullofherbeautyandwisdom,gentleness,joyance,andkindness!
  Come,andlikebeeswillwegathertherichgoldenhoneyofnoontide;
  Deepinthesweetsummermeadows,border’dbyhillsideandrer,Linedwithlongtrencheshalf-hidden,wheresmellofwhitemeadow-
  sweet,sweetest,Blissfullyhovers——Osweetest!butpluckitnot!eveninthetenderestGraspitwilllosebreathandwither;likemany,notmadeforaposy。
  See,thesunslopesdownthemeadows,wherealltheflowersarefalling!
  Fallingunhymned;forthenightingalescarceevercharmsthelongtwilight:
  Mutewiththecaresofthenest;onlyknownbya’chuck,chuck,’anddovelikeCallofcontent,butthefinchandthelinnetandblackcappipeloudly。
  Roundonthewesternhill-sidewarblestherich-billedouzel;
  Andtheshrillthrostleisfillingthetangledthickeningcopses;
  Singingo’erhyacinthshid,andmosthoney’dofflowers,whitefield-rose。
  Joythustorevelalldayinthegrassofourownbelovedcountry;
  Revelallday,tillthelarkmountsatevewithhissweet’tirra-
  lirra’:
  Trillingdelightfully。See,ontherertheslow-rippledsurfaceShining;theslowripplebroadensincircles;thebrightsurfacesmoothens;
  Nowitisflatastheleavesoftheyetunseenwater-lily。
  Theredartthelesofaday,ever-varyingtacticsfantastic。
  There,bythewet-mirroredosiers,theemeraldwingofthekingfisherFlashes,thefishinhisbeak!therethedab-chickded,andthemotionLazilyundulatesallthro’thetallstandingarmyofrushes。
  Joythustorevelallday,tillthetwilightturnsushomeward!
  Tillallthelingeringdeep-bloomingsplendourofsunsetisover,Andtheonestarshinesmildlyinmellowinghues,likeaspiritSenttoassureusthatlightneverdieth,tho’dayisnowburied。
  Saying:to-morrow,to-morrow,fewhoursintervening,thatintervalTunedbythewoodlarkinheaven,to-morrowmysemblance,fareastward,Heraldstheday’tismymissioneternaltosealandtoprophecy。
  Comethen,andhomeward;passingdowntheclosepathofthemeadows。
  Homelikethebeesstoredwithsweetness;eachwithalarkinthebosom,Trillingforever,andoh!willyonlarkeverceasetosingupthere?
  Oskylark!Iseetheeandcalltheejoy!
  Thywingsbeartheeuptothebreastofthedawn;
  Iseetheenomore,butthysongisstillThetongueoftheheavenstome!
  ThusarethedayswhenIwasaboy;
  SweetwhileIledinthem,dearnowthey’regone:
  Ifeelthemnolonger,butstill,OstillTheytelloftheheavenstome。
  WhenbudsofpalmdoburstandspreadTheirdownyfeathersinthelane,Andorchardblossoms,whiteandred,BreatheSpringdelightforAutumngain;
  Andtheskylarkshakeshiswingsintherain;
  Othenistheseasontolookforabride!
  Chooseherwarily,wooherunseen;
  ForthechoicestmaidsarethosethathideLikedewyoletsunderthegreen。
  Whennutsbehindthehazel-leafArebrownasthesquirrelthathuntsthemfree,Andthefieldsarerichwiththesun-burntsheaf,’Midthebluecornflowerandtheyellowingtree;
  Andthefarmerglowsandbeamsinhisglee;
  Othenistheseasontowedtheeabride!
  Erethegarnersarefilledandtheale-cupsfoam;
  ForasmilinghostessistheprideAndflowerofeveryHarvestHome。
  Burythysorrows,andtheyshallriseAssoulstotheimmortalskies,Andtherelookdownlikemothers’eyes。
  Butletthyjoysbefreshasflowers,Thatsuckthehoneyoftheshowers,Andbloomalikeonhutsandtowers。
  Soshallthydaysbesweetandbright;
  Solemnandsweetthystarrynight,Consciousofloveeachchangeoflight。
  Thestarswillwatchtheflowersasleep,Theflowerswillfeelthesoftstarsweep,Andbothwillmsensationsdeep。
  Withthesebelow,withthoseabove,Sitsevermorethebroodingdove,Unitingbothinbondsoflove。
  Forbothbynatureareakin;
  Sorrow,theashenfruitofsin,Andjoy,thejuiceoflifewithin。
  Childrenofeartharethese;andthoseThespiritsofdinerepose-
  Deathradianto’erallhumanwoes。
  O,thinkwhatthenhadbeenthydoom,IfhomelessandwithoutatombTheyhadbeenlefttohauntthegloom!
  O,thinkagainwhatnowtheyare-
  Motherlylove,tho’dimandfar,Imagedineverylustrousstar。
  Forthey,intheirsalvation,knowNovestigeoftheirformerwoe,Whilethro’themalltheheavensdoflow。
  Thusartthouweddedtotheskies,Andwatchedbyever-longeyes,Andwarnedbyyearningsympathies。
  SONG
  Theflowerunfoldsitsdawningcup,Andtheyoungsundrinksthestar-dewsup,Ateveitdroopswiththeblissofday,Anddreamsinthemidnightfaraway。
  SoamIinthysole,sweetglancePressedwithaweightofutterance;
  Longlyallmyleavesunfold,Andgleamtothebeamsofthirstygold。
  AteveIdroop,forthentheswellOffeelingfaltersforthfarewell;-
  AtmidnightIamdreamingdeep,Ofwhathasbeen,inblissfulsleep。
  When——ah!whenwilllove’sownfightWedmealikethro’dayandnight,WhenwillthestarswiththeirlinkingcharmsWakeusineachother’sarms?
  ThoutomeartsuchaspringAstheArabseeksateve,Thirstyfromtheshiningsands;
  Theretobathehisfaceandhands,Whilethesunistakingleave,Anddewysleepisadeliciousthing。
  ThoutomeartsuchadreamAshedreamsuponthegrass,WhilethebubblingcoolnessnearMakessweetmusicinhisear;
  AndthestarsthatslowlypassInsolitarygrandeuro’erhimgleam。
  ThoutomeartsuchadawnAsthedawnwhoseruddykissWakeshimtohisdarlingsteed;
  Andagainthedesertspeed,Andagainthedesertbliss,Lightensthro’hisveins,andheisgone!
  TheburiedvoicebespakeAntigone。
  ’Osister!couldstthouknow,asthouwiltknow,Theblissabove,thereverencebelow,Enkindledbythysacrificeforme;
  ThouwouldstatoncewithholyecstasyGethywarmlimbsintotheyearningearth。
  Sleep,Sister!forElysium’sdawningbirth,-
  Andfaithwillfilltheewithwhatistobe!
  Sleep,fortheGodsarewatchingoverthee!
  Thydreamwillsteertheetoperformtheirwill,Assilentlytheirinfluencetheyinstil。
  OSister!inthesweetnessofthyprime,Thyhandhaspluckedthebitterflowerofdeath;
  ButthiswilldowertheewithElysianbreath,Thatfadeintoanever-fadingclime。
  DeartotheGodsarethosethatdoliketheeAsolemnduty!forthetyrannyOfkingsisfeebletothesoulthatdaresDefythemtofulfilitssacredcares:
  Andweakagainstamightywillaremen。
  O,Torchbetweentwobrothers!inwhosegleamOurslaughteredHousedothshineasoneagain,Tho’severedbythesword;nowmaythydreamKindledesireintheeforus,andthou,Forgettingnotthyloverandhisvow,Leangnohumanmemoryforgot,Shaltcross,notunattended,thedarkstreamWhichrunsbytheeinsleepandripplesnot。
  Thelargestarsglitterthro’theanousnight,Andthedeepskybroodslowtolookatthee:
  Theairishush’danddarko’erlandandsea,Andalliswaitingforthemorrowlight:
  Sodothykindredspiritswaitforthee。
  OSister!softasonthedownwardrill,WillthosefirstdaybeamsfromthedistanthillFallonthesmoothnessofthyplacidbrow,Likethiscalmsweetnessbreathingthro’menow:
  Andwhenthefatedsoundsshallwakethineeyes,Wiltthou,confidinginthesupremewill,Inallthymaidensteadfastnessarise,Firmtoobeyandearnesttofulfil;
  Rememberingthenightthoudidstnotsleep,Andthissamebroodingskybeheldtheecreep,Defiantofunnaturaldecree,TowhereIlayupontheoutcastland;
  Beforetheirongatesupontheplain;
  Awretched,gravelessghost,whosewailingchillCametothydarkeneddoorimploringthee;
  Yearningforburiallikemybrotherslain;-
  Andallwasdaredforloveandpiety!
  ThisthoughtwillnerveagainthyrginhandToserveitspurposeanditsdestiny。’
  Shewoke,theyledherforth,andallwasstill。
  Swathedroundinmistandcrown’dwithcloud,OMountain!hidfrompeaktobase-
  CaughtupintotheheavensandclaspedInwhiteetherealarmsthatmakeThymysteryofsizesublime!
  WhateyeorthoughtcanmeasurenowThygranddilatingloftiness!
  WhatgiantcrestdisputewiththeeSupremacyofairandsky!
  Whatfabledheightwiththeecompare!
  Notthosene-terracedhillsthatseetheThelavaintheirfierycusps;
  Northathigh-climbingrobeofsnow,Whosesummitstouchthemorningstar,Andbreathethethinnestairoflife;
  Norcrocus-couchingIda,warmWithJuno’slatestnuptiallure;
  NorTenedoswhosedreamyeyeStilllooksuponbeleagueredTroy;
  NoryetOlympuscrown’dwithgodsCanboastamajestylikethine,OMountain!hidfrompeaktobase,AndimageoftheawfulpowerWithwhichthesecretofallthings,Thatstoopsfromheaventogarmentearth,Canspeaktoanyhumansoul,WhenoncetheearthlylimitsloseTheirpointedheightsandsharpenedlines,AndmeasurelessimmensityIspalpabletosenseandsight。
  No,no,thefallingblossomisnosignOflovelinessdestroy’dandsorrowmute;
  Theblossomshedsitslovelinessdine;-
  Itsmissionistoprophecythefruit。
  Noristhedayofloveforeverdead,Whenyoungenchantmentandromancearegone;
  Theveilisdrawn,butallthefuturedreadIslightenedbythefingerofthedawn。
  Lovemoveswithlifealongadarkerway,Theycastashadowandtheycallitdeath:
  Butrichisthefulfilmentoftheirday;
  Thepurerpassionandthefirmerfaith。