miscellaneous poems.
93
Life was once a bed of flowers,
Joy reposed in sunny bowers;
Life—thy buds were but a snare.
Thorns were hidden every where.
Joy reposed in sunny bowers;
Life—thy buds were but a snare.
Thorns were hidden every where.
Heaven! I thought not of thy joys!
Pleas'd with this world's shining toys;
Now—but thee alone I prize,
Raise a suppliant to the skies.
Pleas'd with this world's shining toys;
Now—but thee alone I prize,
Raise a suppliant to the skies.
TO THE MESSAGE BIRD.
Bird of beauty, whose bright plumage
Sparkles with a thousand dyes,
Soft thy note, and gay thy carol,
Tho' stern winter rules the skies.
Sparkles with a thousand dyes,
Soft thy note, and gay thy carol,
Tho' stern winter rules the skies.
First I knew thee by the sun-light
Of the summer's closing day—
Idly by the streamlet wand'ring,
Listening to thy vocal lay.
Of the summer's closing day—
Idly by the streamlet wand'ring,
Listening to thy vocal lay.