TO THE NIGHT-BLOOMING CEREUS.[1]
Now departs day's garish light,
Beauteous flower! lift thy head,
Rise upon the brow of night,
And thy transient lustre shed.
Beauteous flower! lift thy head,
Rise upon the brow of night,
And thy transient lustre shed.
Night has dropped her dusky veil;
All vain thoughts be distant far.
While with silent joy we hail
Flora's radiant evening star.
All vain thoughts be distant far.
While with silent joy we hail
Flora's radiant evening star.
See! to life her beauties start:
Hail! thou lovely, matchless flower;
Much thou sayest to the heart,
In thy fleeting, solemn hour.
Hail! thou lovely, matchless flower;
Much thou sayest to the heart,
In thy fleeting, solemn hour.
Ere we have our homage paid,
Thou wilt bow thy head and die;
Thus our sweetest pleasures fade,
Thus our brightest blessings fly.
Thou wilt bow thy head and die;
Thus our sweetest pleasures fade,
Thus our brightest blessings fly.
- ↑ It is well known, that this flower, of unrivalled beauty, blooms only in the night, and fades as the daylight appears.
