To A. R. C.
AS, musing, late I sat reclin’d,
And waking dreams absorb’d my mind,
A damsel came, of various dyes,
Like painted Iris from the skies;
A purfled saffron was her vest,
And sweet gum-cistus form’d her crest;
In many a playful ring, her hair
Flew light and flossy in the air;
The mantle, blue and gold, she wore,
A rose of opals held before,
While, graceful in her fairy hand,
Appear’d a crimson-tufted wand,
Whose shade on every object threw
A glowing tint of roseate hue.
“Whence art thou, blooming nymph?” I cried,
And thus a tuneful voice replied:
“Men call me Fancy; at my shrine
“Myriads confess my power divine;
“There painters bend the willing knee,
“And laurell’d poets sue to me:
“For mine is every vivid ray,
“Which partial Nature gave the day;
“And, to the music of my song,
“A thousand nameless charms belong.
“The friend of Happiness, I dwell
“Belov’d alike in court or cell;
“Where Glory lifts her ardent eye,
“With hasty, kindred zeal I fly,
“In sun-beams place the hero’s form,
“And bid his arm command the storm;
“On swelling clouds an altar raise,
“And fan the tow’ring flame of praise.
“Oft, from the lorn enthusiast’s lyre,
“My fingers strike etherial fire,
“And give to sounds of piercing woe,
“Extatic rapture’s fervent glow.
“Oft sooth the maniac’s throbbing vein,
“And grace her simple, wilder’d strain;
“The tribe of Pain in fetters keep,
“Lull wounded Memory to sleep,
“And, in the mind of gloomy Care,
“Bid Thought an angel’s semblance wear.
“Dear to each blest a
(Matilda Betham)
More Poetry from Matilda Betham:
Matilda Betham Poems based on Topics: Mind, Friendship, Pain, Happiness, Cry, Sleep, Praise, Fire, Gold, Heroism, Angels- The Lay Of Marie - Canto First (Matilda Betham Poems)
- The Lay Of Marie - Canto Second (Matilda Betham Poems)
- The Lay Of Marie - Canto Third (Matilda Betham Poems)
- The Old Sheperd's Recollections (Matilda Betham Poems)
- Cen'lin, Prince Of Mercia (Matilda Betham Poems)
- The Outlaw (Matilda Betham Poems)
Readers Who Like This Poem Also Like:
Based on Topics: Mind Poems, Friendship Poems, Cry Poems, Fire Poems, Pain Poems, Sleep Poems, Happiness Poems, Gold Poems, Praise Poems, Angels Poems, Music PoemsBased on Keywords: laurell, opals, flossy, purfled, crimson-tufted