Which fervid from its mountain source Shallow, smooth, and strong, doth come, - It sweeps into the affrighted sea; The Serchio, twisting forth Between the marble barriers which it clove July, 1821. THE ZUCCA.* SUMMER was dead and Autumn was expiring, And infant Winter laughed upon the land All cloudlessly and cold;-when I, desiring * Pumpkin. More in this world than any understand, Summer was dead, but I yet lived to weep, The instability of all but weeping; And on the earth lulled in her winter sleep I woke, and envied her as she was sleeping. Too happy Earth! over thy face shall creep The wakening vernal airs, until thou, leaping From unremembered dreams shalt [ No death divide thy immortality. I loved-O no, I mean not one of ye, ] see I loved, I know not what-but this low sphere, And all that it contains, contains not thee, Thou, whom seen no where, I feel every where, Dim object of my soul's idolatry. Veiled art thou like By Heaven and Earth, from all whose shapes thou flowest, Neither to be contained, delayed, or hidden, Making divine the loftiest and the lowest, When for a moment thou art not forbidden In winds, and trees, and streams, and all things common, In music and the sweet unconscious tone Of animals, and voi es which are human, Meant to express some feelings of their own; In the soft motions and rare smile of woman, In flowers and leaves, and in the fresh grass shewn, Or dying in the autumn, I the most Adore thee present or lament thee lost. And thus I went, lamenting when I saw The Heavens had wept upon it, but the Earth * I bore it to my chamber, and I planted The mitigated influences of air And light revived the plant, and from it grew Strong leaves and tendrils, and its flowers fair, Full as a cup with the vine's burning dew, O'erflowed with golden colours; an atmosphere Of vital warmth infolded it anew, And every impulse sent to every part Well might the plant grow beautiful and strong, Tears pure as Heaven's rain, which fell upon it Mixed with the stringed melodies that won it Had loosed his heart, and shook the leaves and flowers On which he wept, the while the savage storm Waked by the darkest of December's hours Was raving round the chamber hushed and warm; The birds were shivering in their leafless bowers, The fish were frozen in the pools, the form Of every summer plant was dead [ THE TWO SPIRITS. AN ALLEGORY. 1st. Spi. O Thou, who plumed with strong desire Wouldst float above the earth, beware! A shadow tracks thy flight of fire Night is coming! Bright are the regions of the air, And among the winds and beams It were delight to wander thereNight is coming! 2nd. Spi. The deathless stars are bright above; And the moon will smile with gentle light 1st. Spi. And make night day. But if the whirlwinds of darkness waken Hail, and lightning, and stormy rain; See the bounds of the air are shaken Night is coming! The red swift clouds of the hurricane Yon declining sun have overtaken, 2nd. Spi. I see the light, and I hear the sound; And thou, when the gloom is deep and stark, Some say, there is a precipice Where one vast pine is frozen to ruin O'er piles of snow and chasins of ice Mid Alpine mountains; |