Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, CLIFTON HILL, SELECTION, by ANN YEARSLEY


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

CLIFTON HILL, SELECTION, by                    
First Line: Ye silent, solemn, strong, stupendous heights
Last Line: And clumsy music crowns the rough delight.
Alternate Author Name(s): Cromartie, Ann


Ye silent, solemn, strong, stupendous heights,
Whose terror-striking frown the schoolboy frights
From the young daw; whilst in your rugged breast
The chattering brood, secur'd by Horror, rest:
Say, Muse, what arm the lowering brothers cleft,
And the calm stream in this low cradle left?
Coeval with Creation they look down,
And, sunder'd, still retain their native frown.
Beneath those heights, lo! balmy springs arise,
To which pale Beauty's faded image flies;
Their kindly powers life's genial heat restore,
The tardy pulse, whose throbs were almost o'er,
Here beats a livelier tune. The breezy air,
To the wild hills invites the languid fair;
Fear not the western gale, thou timorous maid,
Nor dread its blast shall thy soft form invade;
Though cool and strong the quickening breezes blow,
And meet thy panting breath, 't will quickly grow
More strong: then drink the odoriferous draught,
With unseen particles of health 't is fraught
Sit not within the threshold of Despair,
Nor plead a weakness fatal to the fair;
Soft term for Indolence, politely given,
By which we win no joy from earth or heaven.
Foul fiend! thou bane of health, fair virtue's bane,
Death of true pleasure, source of real pain!
Keen exercise shall brace the fainting soul,
And bid her slacken'd powers more vigorous roll.

How thickly cloth'd, yon rock of scanty soil,
Its lovely verdure scorns the hand of toil.
Here the deep green, and here the lively plays,
The russet beech, and ever blooming bays;
The vengeful black-thorn, of wild beauties proud,
Blooms beauteous in the gloomy chequer'd crowd:
The barren elm, the useful feeding oak,
Whose Hamadryad ne'er should feel the stroke
Of axe relentless, till twice fifty years
Have crown'd her woodland joys and fruitful cares.

The poisonous reptiles here their mischiefs bring,
And through the helpless sleeper dart the sting;
The toad envenom'd, hating human eyes,
Here springs to light, lives long, and aged dies.
The harmless snail, slow journeying, creeps away,
Sucks the young dew, but shuns the bolder day.
The long-nosed mouse, the woodland rat is here,
The sightless mole, with nicely pointed ear:
The timid rabbit hails the impervious gloom,
Eludes the dog's keen scent, and shuns her doom.

Various the tenants of this tangled wood,
Who skulk all day, all night review the flood,
Chew the wash'd weed driven by the beating wave,
Or feast on dreadful food, which hop'd a milder grave.
Hail, useful Channel! Commerce spreads her wings,
From either pole her various treasure brings;
Wafted by thee, the mariner, long stray'd,
Clasps the fond parent and the sighing maid;
Joy tunes the cry; the rocks rebound the roar:
The deep vibration quivers 'long the shore:
The merchant hears, and hails the peeping mast,
The wave-drench'd sailor scorns all peril past:
Now love and joy the noisy crew invite,
And clumsy music crowns the rough delight.





Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


Other Poems of Interest...
Home: PoetryExplorer.net