Those silent years that steal away The cheek's warm rose, the eye's bright ray, For him the April days are past, When grief was but a fleeting cloud; No transient shade will sorrow cast, When age the spirit's might has bow'd! He seems an image, wrought to bear Save that the night-breeze, o'er his cheeks, Nought else could teach the eye to know Long gazing o'er the dark'ning flood, Then, starting from his trance of woe, Tears, long suppress'd, in freedom flow, While thus his wild and plaintive strain, THE BARD'S FAREWELL. Thou setting moon! when next thy rays eyes And wander o'er the lonely sea, On thee! whose light so softly gleams, Through the green oaks that fringe my native streams. But, 'midst those ancient groves, no more Its plaintive strain my harp must pour, To swell a foreign gale; The rocks, the woods, whose echoes woke, Deserted now, shall hear alone, The brook's wild voice, the wind's mysterious moan. And oh! ye fair, forsaken halls, Left by your lord to slow decay, Soon shall the trophies on your walls Be mouldering fast away! There shall no choral songs resound, There shall no festal board be crown'd; But ivy wreath the silent gate, And all be hush'd, and cold, and desolate. No banner from the stately tower, Shall spread its blazon'd folds on high, From thy cold hearths no festal blaze And I-my joy of life is fled, My spirit's power, my bosom's glow, The raven locks that graced my head, Wave in a wreath of snow! And where the star of youth arose, I deem'd life's lingering ray should close, And those loved trees my tomb o'ershade, Beneath whose arching bowers my childhood play'd. Vain dream! that tomb in distant earth Shall rise, forsaken and forgot; And thou, sweet land, that gav'st me birth, Yet, haply he for whom I leave Thy shores, in life's dark winter-eve, When cold the hand, and closed the lays, And mute the voice he loved to praise, O'er the hush'd harp one tear may shed, And one frail garland o'er the minstrel's bed! BELSHAZZAR'S FEAST. TWAS night in Babylon: yet many a beam, O'er an illumined wilderness of flowers; And the glad city's voice went up from all her towers. But prouder mirth was in the kingly hall, Belshazzar sat enthroned. There luxury's hand more. |