WITH a sweet murmur dropping waters play,
Breaking, the stillness of this summer’s day,
And all things beautiful and light and fair
Rejoice, half sleeping, in the noontide air,
Or lie, dream-revelling, through luxurious hours,
Children and insects, cattle, birds, and flowers.
Oft in my childhood did I lie and think,
As these do now, upon this river brink;,
And watch’d the oziers swaying to and fro,
Or oak-trees mirror’d in the stream below;
And many a nook, branch-bower’d, here I knew,
Whose unsunn’d water never caught the blue
Of distant heaven in summer; only green
Of million lucent leaves and boughs between.
Thence gazing out with happy dazzled eyes
Over that bounteous land where ever lies
A future beautiful to striving men,
The Land of Hope yclept, I deem’d it then
Begemm’d with flowers, and rich in mossy dales
Soft unto waysore feet, with open vales
Of greenest pasture sloping to the sun,
Where sparkling streams and placid rivers run.
O’er the blue hills the rolling white-ridg’d clouds
Wrapp’d peaks and fir-woods in their fleecy shrouds;
And mountains rose in far recession, far,
Where dwellings fit for kings and prophets are.
Yet in those mountains many a deep abyss
Yawns to engulf the traveller, serpents hiss,
And in the twilight thickets many a danger
Of man and nature lurks to greet the stranger.
When all these terrors strike his trembling heart,
Alone who enter’d, to alone depart,
Shall he walk feebly in the appointed track,
Falter, or, worse, with timid steps turn back?
There many a dark valley must he pass,
Eying with strained sight the tangled grass;
And oftentimes the dreary clouds will pour
Unceasingly, and heavy thunder roar.
No succour lies in love or kindred blood,–
They cannot save him, even if they would.
Oh! yet above him is a glorious sky;
Around the joyful helps of nature lie;
Beside him ever Faith and Hope and Love;
Within, his thousand vigorous pulses move;
Beyond him, farther than his eyes discern,
Much to be conquer’d, everything to learn.
Oh heart, be brave and tender; eye, be true,
Of vision keen to pierce all danger through;
Feet, bear your master manfully along;
Be his whole spirit teachable and strong,
And joyful too, as standing in the light
Of heav’nly hope; for God’s sun shineth bright,
To show all good men their right road, their prayer
Gives light in darkness when the days are drear.
Earth! grant some cheering love, such love is due
God help the helpful, and uphold the true.
(Bessie Rayner Parkes)
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Based on Topics: Love Poems, Man Poems, Light Poems, Nature Poems, Joy & Excitement Poems, Flowers Poems, Hope Poems, Sleep Poems, Birds Poems, Education Poems, Summer PoemsBased on Keywords: engulf, yclept, oak-trees, unsunn, eying, oziers, teachable, recession, fir-woods, begemm