IS there on earth a charm more firmly binds,
Than gentle gratitude congenial minds?
That Goddess now, at whose soft shrine I bend,
Must guide my hand to thee, my patron, friend;
To thee, who kindly read’st my simple lays,
And cheer’dst me trembling with thy well-tun’d praise.
No thought of fame, or yet ambitious pride,
Bade me all fearful to the world confide;
By claims imperious driv’n from friendly night,
My blushing Muse still shrinks from public sight;
For well she knows, in this bright age is found
Sweet fancy scatt’ring smiles profusely round;
That not her charms my lowly breast endow,
Nor has experience shaded o’er my brow.
Once, where she blooms, I stole with silent tread,
As heaven’s sweet zephyrs play’d around my head;
Veil’d by the gloomy hour, beneath the sky
I sat me down, when thou, my Muse, wert nigh:
Oh! then in murmurs borne along the gale,
Thy sweets, fair fancy, did I first inhale;
And aided by the still and solemn hour,
I vow’d to dwell within the Muse’s bow’r;
Dew’d with soft fragrance and the midnight air,
Amid the shades I breath’d my silent prayer.
The Goddess smil’d, then spoke; “Sure some rude thorn
“Impels to seek me in life’s early morn;
“They seldom wander near my mystic cell,
“Whom pleasure has not bid a long farewel.
“But if thou com’st a lonely hour to cheer,
“Remember! ’tis not happiness dwells here:
“The pow’r I boast is but to soothe the mind,
“When cares perplex, and fortune low’rs unkind.”
The Goddess ended; but so gently flow’d
Each accent sweet, that still my bosom glow’d;
Still long’d to trace the varying shades of rhyme,
And catch the glimm’rings of a thought sublime.
‘Tis when to all expos’d my fancy weak,
That busy thought will crimson o’er my cheek;
To chase the glow, let memory’s beam pourtray
When first I gave to thee my simple lay–
To thee, who smiling bad’st me still pursue
The flow’ry path, and whisper’d praises too.
A soothing word from one by genius blest,
Repell’d the fears fast rising in my breast.
I knew successful thou had’st travell’d o’er
The paths which lead to wisdom’s sacred shore;
The laurels that thy manly brows entwin’d
Bespoke thy vast fertility of mind;
But yet that mind with gen’rous ardour gave
Supporting smiles, ere yet I dar’d the wave;
My little bark, with gentle breezes fann’d,
And hail’d by thee, may safely reach the land;
With thee, my prop, encourager, and guide!
My Muse may brighten, as my fears subside.
Oh! with thy warmth could my chill feelings glow,
To pay the debt of gratitude I owe,
Soon should the thrilling lyre’s harmonious swell
The Sisters call from every mystic cell,
With flow’rs, with verse, to deck thy glorious name,
And waft thy praise on all the tongues of fame!
Thee first I saw upon that flow’ry ground
Where the fair Queen and all her train are found:
Within that bow’r none durst, I knew, recline,
Who offer’d not libations to the Nine.
If then my verse her favourite son could hear,
What critic sound shall violate my ear?
Ere wisdom could my erring fancy rein,
Reflect, I mingled in the vocal train:
Let justice weigh th’ impartial scales of thought,
Not I by Milton nor by Homer taught;
No Virgil deign’d my lonely hours to bless,
No aid, but Nature’s, can my Muse confess;
In her sweet garden, ‘midst her flow’rets fair,
A weed I sprang, and lowly blossom’d there;
But ere that blossom could fair fruit bestow,
An angry tempest shook and laid me low:
Like some poor orphan now I wander wild,
Torn from the field where nature kindly smil’d;
Upon the bosom of the earth I roam,
To seek for thee, poor Muse, a sheltering home!
Expect not, then, within my lays to find
The bright effusions of a towering mind;
These fingers o’er the harp all trembling stray,
Till judgment ripe illumes my youthful day.
Till then my verse uncheck’d, unguided, pours,
And strives in vain to roll o’er classic shores;
Where the rich wand’rings of thy genius glide,
Where wisdom and her sacred train reside.
(Emma Lyon)
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Based on Topics: God Poems, Life Poems, World Poems, Night Poems, Mind Poems, Fairness Poems, Sense & Perception Poems, Friendship Poems, Name Poems, Thought & Thinking Poems, Home PoemsBased on Keywords: libations, entwin, uncheck, scatt, unguided, fertility, effusions, repell, glimm, impels, well-tun