The Culprit Fay and Other Poems [7]
lowly tale Of love or wo should fail to wake the rhyme, If to the wildest heights of song you climb, (Tho' some who know you less, might cry, beware!) Onward! I say - your strains shall conquer time; Give your bright genius wing, and hope to share Imagination's worlds - the ocean, earth, and air.
X.
Arouse, my friend - let vivid fancy soar, Look with creative eye on nature's face, Bid airy sprites in wild Niagara roar, And view in every field a fairy race. Spur thy good Pacolet to speed apace, And spread a train of nymphs on every shore; Or if thy muse would woo a ruder grace, The Indian's evil Manitou's explore, And rear the wondrous tale of legendary lore.
XI.
Away! to Susquehannah's utmost springs, Where, throned in mountain mist, Areouski reigns, Shrouding in lurid clouds his plumeless wings, And sternly sorrowing o'er his tribes remains; His was the arm, like comet ere it wanes That tore the streamy lightnings from the skies, And smote the mammoth of the southern plains; Wild with dismay the Creek affrighted flies, While in triumphant pride Kanawa's eagles rise.
XII.
Or westward far, where dark Miami wends, Seek that fair spot as yet to fame unknown; Where, when the vesper dew of heaven descends, Soft music breathes in many a melting tone, At times so sadly sweet it seems the moan Of some poor Ariel penanced in the rock; Anon a louder burst - a scream! a groan! And now amid the tempest's reeling shock, Gibber, and shriek, and wail - and fiend-like laugh and mock.
XIII.
Or climb the Pallisado's lofty brows, Were dark Omana waged the war of hell, Till, waked to wrath, the mighty spirit rose And pent the demons in their prison cell; Full on their head the uprooted mountain fell, Enclosing all within its horrid womb Straight from the teeming earth the waters swell, And pillared rocks arise in cheerless gloom Around the drear abode - their last eternal tomb!
XIV.
Be these your future themes - no more resign The soul of song to laud your lady's eyes; Go! kneel a worshipper at nature's shrine! For you her fields are green, and fair her skies! For you her rivers flow, her hills arise! And will you scorn them all, to pour forth tame And heartless lays of feigned or fancied sighs? Still will you cloud the muse? nor blush for shame To cast away renown, and hide your head from fame?
EXTRACTS FROM LEON. AN UNFINISHED POEM.
IT is a summer evening, calm and fair, A warm, yet freshening glow is in the air; Along its bank, the cool stream wanders slow, Like parting friends that linger as they go. The willows, as its waters meekly glide, Bend their dishevelled tresses to the tide, And seem to give it, with a moaning sigh, A farewell touch of tearful sympathy. Each dusky copse is clad in darkest green: A blackening mass, just edged with silver sheen From yon clear moon, who in her glassy face Seems to reflect the risings of the place. For on her still, pale orb, the eye may see Dim spots of shadowy brown, like distant tree Or far-off hillocks on a moonlight lea.
The stars have lit in heaven their lamps of gold, The viewless dew falls lightly on the wold, The gentle air, that softly sweeps the leaves, A strain of faint, unearthly music weaves; As when the harp of heaven remotely plays, Or cygnet's wail - or song of sorrowing fays That float amid the moonshine glimmerings pale, On wings of woven air in some enchanted vale.
It is an eve that drops a heavenly balm, To lull the feelings to a sober calm, To bid wild passion's fiery flush depart; And smooth the troubled waters of the heart; To give a tranquil fixedness to grief, A cherished gloom, that wishes not relief.
Torn is that heart, and bitter are its throes, That cannot feel on such a night, repose; And yet one breast there is that breathes this air, An eye that wanders o'er the prospect fair, That sees yon placid moon, and the pure sky Of mild, unclouded blue; and still that eye Is thrown in restless vacancy around, Or cast, in gloomy trance, on the cold ground; And still, that breast with maddening passion burns, And hatred, love,
X.
Arouse, my friend - let vivid fancy soar, Look with creative eye on nature's face, Bid airy sprites in wild Niagara roar, And view in every field a fairy race. Spur thy good Pacolet to speed apace, And spread a train of nymphs on every shore; Or if thy muse would woo a ruder grace, The Indian's evil Manitou's explore, And rear the wondrous tale of legendary lore.
XI.
Away! to Susquehannah's utmost springs, Where, throned in mountain mist, Areouski reigns, Shrouding in lurid clouds his plumeless wings, And sternly sorrowing o'er his tribes remains; His was the arm, like comet ere it wanes That tore the streamy lightnings from the skies, And smote the mammoth of the southern plains; Wild with dismay the Creek affrighted flies, While in triumphant pride Kanawa's eagles rise.
XII.
Or westward far, where dark Miami wends, Seek that fair spot as yet to fame unknown; Where, when the vesper dew of heaven descends, Soft music breathes in many a melting tone, At times so sadly sweet it seems the moan Of some poor Ariel penanced in the rock; Anon a louder burst - a scream! a groan! And now amid the tempest's reeling shock, Gibber, and shriek, and wail - and fiend-like laugh and mock.
XIII.
Or climb the Pallisado's lofty brows, Were dark Omana waged the war of hell, Till, waked to wrath, the mighty spirit rose And pent the demons in their prison cell; Full on their head the uprooted mountain fell, Enclosing all within its horrid womb Straight from the teeming earth the waters swell, And pillared rocks arise in cheerless gloom Around the drear abode - their last eternal tomb!
XIV.
Be these your future themes - no more resign The soul of song to laud your lady's eyes; Go! kneel a worshipper at nature's shrine! For you her fields are green, and fair her skies! For you her rivers flow, her hills arise! And will you scorn them all, to pour forth tame And heartless lays of feigned or fancied sighs? Still will you cloud the muse? nor blush for shame To cast away renown, and hide your head from fame?
EXTRACTS FROM LEON. AN UNFINISHED POEM.
IT is a summer evening, calm and fair, A warm, yet freshening glow is in the air; Along its bank, the cool stream wanders slow, Like parting friends that linger as they go. The willows, as its waters meekly glide, Bend their dishevelled tresses to the tide, And seem to give it, with a moaning sigh, A farewell touch of tearful sympathy. Each dusky copse is clad in darkest green: A blackening mass, just edged with silver sheen From yon clear moon, who in her glassy face Seems to reflect the risings of the place. For on her still, pale orb, the eye may see Dim spots of shadowy brown, like distant tree Or far-off hillocks on a moonlight lea.
The stars have lit in heaven their lamps of gold, The viewless dew falls lightly on the wold, The gentle air, that softly sweeps the leaves, A strain of faint, unearthly music weaves; As when the harp of heaven remotely plays, Or cygnet's wail - or song of sorrowing fays That float amid the moonshine glimmerings pale, On wings of woven air in some enchanted vale.
It is an eve that drops a heavenly balm, To lull the feelings to a sober calm, To bid wild passion's fiery flush depart; And smooth the troubled waters of the heart; To give a tranquil fixedness to grief, A cherished gloom, that wishes not relief.
Torn is that heart, and bitter are its throes, That cannot feel on such a night, repose; And yet one breast there is that breathes this air, An eye that wanders o'er the prospect fair, That sees yon placid moon, and the pure sky Of mild, unclouded blue; and still that eye Is thrown in restless vacancy around, Or cast, in gloomy trance, on the cold ground; And still, that breast with maddening passion burns, And hatred, love,