ON PRESENTING A FOUR-LEAFED SHAMROCK TO A
OH! that it were the charmed leaf
Which superstition fondly tells,
If it could take away all grief
And sadness with its magic spells;
Still, still to thee I would consign
The fairy gift, for well I know
A kinder, purer heart than thine
Beats not within this world below.
Yet take it, for where'er thou art,
Though it has lost its magic might,
Thy own pure innocence of heart
Will turn the darkest grief to light;
Thy sunny smile can chase away
All sorrow from the suffering breast,
And thy sweet voice, with gentle sway,
Shall make the most unhappy blest!
Oн, my beloved, where'er I turn
Thy glances bright before me burn,
In every star that lights the sky
I see thy sparkling dove-like eye;
There's not a scented flower but brings
Back fresh to my imaginings
Deep, pure, sweet thoughts of home and thee,
Peri of my idolatry!
The rosebud, wet with morning dew,
Red as thy lip, and fragrant, too,
Reminds me of those smiles that came
Like sunshine o'er a flowery stream,
Flinging around where'er it fell
A magic light, bewildering spell,
A charm that twines around the heart,
Of which it forms the brightest part!
And the sweet evening's sunset glow,
Reflected on the waves below,
Seems as thy cheeks' mild, radiant, light,
Serenely pure, and mildly bright,
Where thy bright soul seems shining
With glances over sweet and new:
Whate'er is beautiful or fair
Is but thyself reflected there!
"That one bright look of hers, the memory of which was worth all the actual smiles of others, never left my mind."-THE EPICUREAN.
OH! turn again, my lov'd one, turn
Those looks of love and light on me,
Although their glances inly burn,
'Twere joy to feel this pain from thee;
For like the Persians' fanes, whose fires
Consume the altar where they blaze,
And yet, tis said that light expires
When heaven withdraws its living rays;
So dies away the light that shone
In sparkling radiance o'er my heart,
When those bright looks I gaze upon
No more their former light impart !
In childhood I have watched at night
To see a star break trembling through
The twilight skies with such sweet light
As never since hath met my view!
Years passed since then, and yet that star
Shines in this sonl just as when first
I saw its lonely light afar
Upon my raptured senses burst;
So does that one bright look of thine
All sweet and mild and silently
Beam on through memory's cherished shrine,
And binds the heart and soul to thee!
"Alas! when thou hast departed from my sight, it will seem as if the moon had left the night!"-RIENZI.
ONE moment, Mirza by thy side
Is worth all other joy beside;
For thy dear presence ever threw
A spell around that none but you,
Bright lov'd enchantress as thou art
Could weave so sweetly round this heart,
And throw across life's dreary way
A light of such bewitching ray,
So pure, so bright, yet shadowy too,
Like moonbeam's glance on sparkling dew,
That never since I felt its power,
Long, long ago, up to this hour,
Has that sweet zone of gentle light
Been absent from my mind or sight!
But, like a guardian spirit's prayer,
It shone in purest radiance there,
Keeping the vast broad dome of thought,
And portals of the feelings fought
With pure affections, which to thee,
Thee only turns all doatingly!
He only who has felt Love's flame,
Kindling more bright when some dear
Is mentioned-yes, 'tis such as he
Whose heart beats most tumultuously
With deep, pure love, can only tell
The power that lives in Love's soft spell,
The strength that lies in the caress
Of Beauty's gentle helplessness!
And then how sweet, how blest to be
Near that dear object, and to see
That bright, unclouded smile which
Such light o'er our imaginings,
As summer sunset, ere he goes,
Upon the sparkling waves bestows
Where one long track of trembling
Leads on till heaven and earth unite!
Oh! thus I felt, and ever feel,
Nor could not, if I would, conceal
The joy that one such moment darts
Into this very heart of hearts,
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