And whether famished evening wolves had mangled Albert so, Or that strange dame so gay and fair were some mys terious foe, Or whether to that forest lodge, beyond the mountains blue, He went to dwell with her, the friends who mourned him never knew. LIFE OH Life, I breathe thee in the breeze, These flowers, this still rock's mossy stains. This stream of odour flowing by, From clover field and clumps of pine, This music, thrilling all the sky, From all the morning birds, are thine. Thou fill'st with joy this little one, That leaps and shouts beside me here, Through the dark woods like frighted deer. Ah! must thy mighty breath, that wakes Pass, pulse by pulse, till o'er the ground These limbs, now strong, shall creep with pain, And this fair world of sight and sound The things, oh LIFE! thou quickenest, all Strive upward towards the broad bright sky, Upward and outward, and they fall Back to earth's bosom when they die. ΙΟ 20 All that have borne the touch of death, There lies my chamber dark and still, In the sweet air and sunshine sweet. Well, I have had my turn, have been The brightness of the skirts of God; And knew the light within my breast. And cannot die, were all from Him. Dear child! I know that thou wilt grieve Wilt seek my grave at Sabbath eve, Thy little heart will soon be healed, When we descend to dust again, 30 40 50 'EARTH'S CHILDREN CLEAVE TO EARTH' EARTH'S children cleave to Earth-her frail Dark maples where the wood-thrush sings, From hold to hold; it cannot stay, And in the very beams that fill The world with glory wastes away, ΙΟ Till, parting from the mountain's brow, And that which sprung of earth is now 20 THE HUNTER'S VISION UPON a rock that, high and sheer, Had set him down to rest, And bared to the soft summer air All dim in haze the mountains lay, ΙΟ He listened, till he seemed to hear The listener scarce might know. Thou weary huntsman,' thus it said, The pleasant land of rest is spread And those whom thou wouldst gladly see He looked, and, 'twixt the earth and sky A shadowy region met his eye, And grew beneath his gaze, As if the vapours of the air Groves freshened as he looked, and flowers And fountains welled beneath the bowers, And friends, the dead, in boyhood dear, A fair young girl, the hamlet's pride- And stretched her hand, and called his name Forward with fixed and eager eyes The hunter leaned, in act to rise. 20 30 40 Forward he leaned, and headlong down He saw the rocks, steep, stern, and brown, A frightful instant-and no more, The dream and life at once were o'er. THE GREEN MOUNTAIN BOYS HERE we halt our march, and pitch our tent And light our fire with the branches rent But a wilder is at hand, With hail of iron and rain of blood, To sweep and waste the land. II How the dark wood rings with voices shrill, To-morrow eve must the voice be still, And ere the sun rise twice again, III Fill up the bowl from the brook that glides A ruddier juice the Briton hides In his fortress by the lake. Build high the fire, till the panther leap 50 And we'll strengthen our weary arms with sleep For the deeds of to-morrow night. ΙΟ 20 |