'Twas yesterday at early dawn āàI watched the falling snow; A drearier scene on winter morn āàWas never stretched below. I could not see the mountains round, āàBut I knew by the wind's wild roar, How every drift in their glens profound āàWas deepening ever more. And then I thought of Ula's bowers, āàBeyond the southern sea, Her tropic prairies bright with flowers, āàAnd rivers wandering free. I thought of many a happy day āàSpent in her Eden Isle With my dear comrades young and gay, All scattered now so far away, āàBut not forgot the while! Who, that has breathed that heavenly air, āàTo northern climes would come, To Gondal's mists and moorlands drear, āàAnd sleet and frozen gloom? Spring brings the swallow and the lark, āàBut what will winter bring? Its twilight hours and evenings dark āàTo match the gift of spring? No, look with me o'er that swollen main; āàIf my spirit's eye can see, There are brave ships floating back again That no calm southern port can chain āàFrom Gondal's stormy sea. Oh! how the hearts of voyagers beat āàTo feel the frost-wind blow! What follows in Ula's garden sweet āàIs worth one flake of snow. The blast which almost rends their sail āàIs welcome as a friend; It brings them home, that thundering gale, āàHome to their journey's end; Home to our souls whose wearying sighs āàLament their absence drear; And oh, how bright even winter skies āàWould shine if they were here! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...JUDGE NOT by ADELAIDE ANNE PROCTER THE WHEELING WORLD by JAMES ROBERT ALLEN PSALM 84 by OLD TESTAMENT BIBLE BELLA GORRY; THE PAZON'S STORY by THOMAS EDWARD BROWN TO MY BROTHER (2) by MARY BRYAN BELSHAZZAR'S FEAST by PEDRO CALDERON DE LA BARCA UPON BISHOP ANDREWES HIS PICTURE BEFORE HIS SERMONS by RICHARD CRASHAW |