Poems of Felicia Hemans in The Court Magazine Volume III 1833/Night-Blowing Flowers
The Court Magazine, 1833, Volume III, Pages 133-134
II.—NIGHT-BLOWING FLOWERS.
Children of night! unfolding meekly, slowly,
To the sweet breathings of the shadowy hours,
When dark-blue heavens look softest and most holy,
And glow-worm light is in the forest bowers;
To solemn things and deep,
To spirit-haunted sleep,
To thoughts, all purified
From earth, ye seem allied,
O dedicated flowers!
Ye, from the crowd your vestal beauty turning,
Keep in dim urns the precious odour shrined,
Till steps are hush'd and faithful stars are burning,
And the moon's eye looks down, serenely kind;
So doth love's dreaming heart
Dwell from the throng apart;
And but to shades disclose
The inmost thought which glows,
With its pure life entwined.
Shut from the sounds wherein the day rejoices,
To no triumphant song your petals thrill;
But yield their fragrance with the faint sweet voices
Rising from hidden founts when all is still,
So doth lone prayer arise,
Mingling with secret sighs,
When grief unfolds, like you,
Her breast, for heavenly dew
In silent hours to fill.