Poems in Two Volumes, vol 1 | Page 2

going.
Child of the Year! that round dost run?Thy course, bold lover of the sun,?And chearful when the day's begun
As morning Leveret,?Thou long the Poet's praise shalt gain;?Thou wilt be more belov'd by men?In times to come; thou not in vain
Art Nature's Favorite. 80
LOUISA.

I met Louisa in the shade;?And, having seen that lovely Maid,?Why should I fear to say?That she is ruddy, fleet, and strong;?And down the rocks can leap along,?Like rivulets in May?
And she hath smiles to earth unknown;?Smiles, that with motion of their own?Do spread, and sink, and rise;?That come and go with endless play, 10 And ever, as they pass away,?Are hidden in her eyes.
She loves her fire, her Cottage-home;?Yet o'er the moorland will she roam?In weather rough and bleak;?And when against the wind she strains,?Oh! might I kiss the mountain rains?That sparkle on her cheek.
Take all that's mine 'beneath the moon',?If I with her but half a noon 20 May sit beneath the walls?Of some old cave, or mossy nook,?When up she winds along the brook,?To hunt the waterfalls.
FIDELITY.

A barking sound the Shepherd hears,?A cry as of a Dog or Fox;?He halts, and searches with his eyes?Among the scatter'd rocks:?And now at distance can discern?A stirring in a brake of fern;?From which immediately leaps out?A Dog, and yelping runs about.
The Dog is not of mountain breed;?It's motions, too, are wild and shy; 10 With something, as the Shepherd thinks,?Unusual in its' cry:?Nor is there any one in sight?All round, in Hollow or on Height;?Nor shout, nor whistle strikes his ear;?What is the Creature doing here?
It was a Cove, a huge Recess,?That keeps till June December's snow;?A lofty Precipice in front,?A silent Tarn [1] below! 20 Far in the bosom of Helvellyn,?Remote from public Road or Dwelling,?Pathway, or cultivated land;?From trace of human foot or hand.
[Footnote 1: A Tarn is a small Mere or Lake mostly high up in the mountains.]
There, sometimes does a leaping Fish?Send through the Tarn a lonely chear;?The Crags repeat the Raven's croak,?In symphony austere;?Thither the Rainbow comes, the Cloud;?And Mists that spread the flying shroud; 30 And Sun-beams; and the sounding blast,?That, if it could, would hurry past,?But that enormous Barrier binds it fast.
Not knowing what to think, a while?The Shepherd stood: then makes his way?Towards the Dog, o'er rocks and stones,?As quickly as he may;?Nor far had gone before he found?A human skeleton on the ground,?Sad sight! the Shepherd with a sigh 40 Looks round, to learn the history.
From those abrupt and perilous rocks,?The Man had fallen, that place of fear!?At length upon the Shepherd's mind?It breaks, and all is clear:?He instantly recall'd the Name,?And who he was, and whence he came;?Remember'd, too, the very day?On which the Traveller pass'd this way.
But hear a wonder now, for sake 50 Of which this mournful Tale I tell!?A lasting monument of words?This wonder merits well.?The Dog, which still was hovering nigh,?Repeating the same timid cry,?This Dog had been through three months' space?A Dweller in that savage place.
Yes, proof was plain that since the day?On which the Traveller thus had died?The Dog had watch'd about the spot, 60 Or by his Master's side:?How nourish'd here through such long time?He knows, who gave that love sublime,?And gave that strength of feeling, great?Above all human estimate.
SHE WAS A PHANTOM OF DELIGHT

She was a Phantom of delight?When first she gleam'd upon my sight;?A lovely Apparition, sent?To be a moment's ornament;?Her eyes as stars of Twilight fair;?Like Twilight's, too, her dusky hair;?But all things else about her drawn?From May-time and the chearful Dawn;?A dancing Shape, an Image gay,?To haunt, to startle, and way-lay. 10
I saw her upon nearer view,?A Spirit, yet a Woman too!?Her household motions light and free,?And steps of virgin liberty;?A countenance in which did meet?Sweet records, promises as sweet;?A Creature not too bright or good?For human nature's daily food;?For transient sorrows, simple wiles,?Praise, blame, love, kisses, tears, and smiles. 20
And now I see with eye serene?The very pulse of the machine;?A Being breathing thoughtful breath;?A Traveller betwixt life and death;?The reason firm, the temperate will,?Endurance, foresight, strength and skill;?A perfect Woman; nobly plann'd,?To warn, to comfort, and command;?And yet a Spirit still, and bright?With something of an angel light. 30
The REDBREAST and the BUTTERFLY.
Art thou the Bird whom Man loves best,?The pious Bird with the scarlet breast,
Our little English Robin;?The Bird that comes about our doors?When Autumn winds are sobbing??Art thou the Peter of Norway Boors?
Their Thomas in Finland,?And Russia far inland??The Bird, whom by some name or other?All men who know thee call their Brother, 10 The Darling of Children and men??Could Father Adam open his eyes,?And see this sight beneath the skies,?He'd wish to close them again.
If the Butterfly knew but his friend?Hither his flight he would bend,?And find his way to me?Under the branches of the tree:?In and out, he darts about;?His little