Sarnia farewell! farewell thy rocky shore;
Far o’er the main I ne’er may see thee more;
Yet will I not regret thee-save thy flowers-
They well were worthy the immortal bowers
Which poets love to wreathe, and oft have sung.
Thine are the hues, which once o’er Eden flung
Their charm of fragrance-when our parents’ gaze
First met in paradise-that holy maze
Of beauty and of love; thine island’s pride
Is worthy of thee, thus with sea allied.
Thy roses bloom!-but where is the fair cheek?
The eye of eloquence in vain we seek
Mid Sarnia’s daughters-and the graceful form
Dwells not with thee-thou isle begirt with storm!-
Save in thy gardens:-there the lily’s grace,
Verbena’s odour breathes-a hardy race-
The fuschia’s bloom its pendant drops disclose,
While thousand plants with richest shading glow;
Camelias too their waxlike beauties spread,
Where orange-flowers their choicest pērfume shed;
And Nature, niggard to thy forest trees,
Fans e’en thy wild flowers with her softest breeze.
Farewell!-a long farewell!-no tear will start,
With thee I leave no fond, devoted heart;
And memory’s tracery of bygone years,
And all that love still hopes, believes, and fears,
Is not with thee-child of old Ocean’s foam!
The poet’s heart is now-e’en now-at home.
(Edward Henry Bickersteth)
More Poetry from Edward Henry Bickersteth:
Edward Henry Bickersteth Poems based on Topics: Love, Fairness, Beauty, Nature, Fear, Literature, Home, Poets, Pride, Immortality- Yesterday, To-day, and For Ever: Book X. - The Millennial Sabbath (Edward Henry Bickersteth Poems)
- Yesterday, To-day, and For Ever: Book XII. - The Many Mansions (Edward Henry Bickersteth Poems)
- Pompeii (Edward Henry Bickersteth Poems)
- Ode (Edward Henry Bickersteth Poems)
- December (Edward Henry Bickersteth Poems)
- The Sabbath. - from Yesterday, To-day and For Ever (Edward Henry Bickersteth Poems)
Readers Who Like This Poem Also Like:
Based on Topics: Love Poems, Nature Poems, Fairness Poems, Home Poems, Beauty Poems, Fear Poems, Literature Poems, Pride Poems, Poets Poems, Immortality PoemsBased on Keywords: begirt, tracery, verbena, orange-flowers, thee-thou, now-at, fuschia, camelias, paradise-that