Classic and Contemporary Poetry
MUSINGS, by AMELIA B. WELBY Poet's Biography First Line: I wandered out one summer-night Last Line: As they have melted mine. Alternate Author Name(s): Coppuck, Amelia B. | ||||||||
I WANDERED out one summer-night, 'T was when my years were few, The wind was singing in the light, And I was singing too; The sunshine lay upon the hill, The shadow in the vale, And here and there a leaping rill Was laughing on the gale. One fleecy cloud upon the air Was all that met my eyes; It floated like an angel there Between me and the skies; I clapp'd my hands and warbled wild, As here and there I flew, For I was but a careless child And did as children do. The waves came dancing o'er the sea In bright and glittering bands; Like little children, wild with glee, They link'd their dimpled hands -- They link'd their hands, but, ere I caught Their sprinkled drops of dew, They kiss'd my feet, and, quick as thought Away the ripples flew. The twilight hours, like birds, flew by, As lightly and as free; Ten thousand stars were in the sky, Ten thousand on the sea; For every wave with dimpled face, That leap'd upon the air, Had caught a star in its embrace, And held it trembling there. The young moon too with upturn'd sides Her mirror'd beauty gave, And, as a bark at anchor rides, She rode upon the wave; The sea was like the heaven above, As perfect and as whole, Save that it seem'd to thrill with love As thrills the immortal soul. The leaves, by spirit-voices stirr'd, Made murmurs on the air, Low murmurs, that my spirit heard And answer'd with a prayer; For 'twas upon that dewy sod, Beside the moaning seas, I learn'd at first to worship God And sing such strains as these. The flowers, all folded to their dreams, Were bow'd in slumber free By breezy hills and murmuring streams, Where'er they chanced to be; No guilty tears had they to weep, No sins to be forgiven; They closed their leaves and went to sleep 'Neath the blue eye of heaven. No costly robes upon them shone, No jewels from the seas, Yet Solomon, upon his throne, Was ne'er array'd like these; And just as free from guilt and art Were lovely human flowers, Ere sorrow set her bleeding heart On this fair world of ours. I heard the laughing wind behind A-playing with my hair; The breezy fingers of the wind -- How cool and moist they were! I heard the night-bird warbling o'er Its soft enchanting strain; I never heard such sounds before, And never shall again. Then wherefore weave such strains as these And sing them day by day, When every bird upon the breeze Can sing a sweeter lay! I'd give the world for their sweet art, The simple, the divine -- I'd give the world to melt one heart As they have melted mine. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE AMERICAN SWORD by AMELIA B. WELBY THE FREED BIRD by AMELIA B. WELBY THE GOLDEN RINGLET by AMELIA B. WELBY THE PRESENCE OF GOD by AMELIA B. WELBY COMPLAINT by WILLIAM CARLOS WILLIAMS THE BELL by WILLIAM HENRY DAVIES A MONA LISA by ANGELINA WELD GRIMKE ODES: BOOK 2: ODE 6. TO WILLIAM HALL, ESQ., WITH THE WORKS OF CHAULIEU by MARK AKENSIDE ENGLISH ENCOURAGEMENT OF ART (FIRST READING) by WILLIAM BLAKE |
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