Page:Fugitive Poetry 1600-1878.djvu/179
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THE EVENING HOUR.
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Toil, for the rushlight's blaze:
When turned he from the cottage fire
Through the closed casement to admire
The splendour of thy rays?
When turned he from the cottage fire
Through the closed casement to admire
The splendour of thy rays?
Not thus pale silent Grief;
From cheerful hearth and torch-light gay,
She glides to welcome thy first ray,
And finds thy stay too brief.
From cheerful hearth and torch-light gay,
She glides to welcome thy first ray,
And finds thy stay too brief.
Loathing the "garish" sun,
It soothes her, while the happy sleep,
Through thy lone reign to watch and weep
O'er joys for ever gone.
It soothes her, while the happy sleep,
Through thy lone reign to watch and weep
O'er joys for ever gone.
Shine on, kind star of Even!
Light love to joy, and toil to rest,
And oh! in the lone mourner's breast
Enkindle thoughts of heaven!
Light love to joy, and toil to rest,
And oh! in the lone mourner's breast
Enkindle thoughts of heaven!
The Evening Hour.
Sweet evening hour! sweet evening hour!
That calms the air and shuts the flower,
That brings the wild bee to its nest,
The infant to its mother's breast.
That calms the air and shuts the flower,
That brings the wild bee to its nest,
The infant to its mother's breast.
Sweet hour, that bids the labourer cease,
That gives the weary team release,
And leads them home, and crowns them there
With rest and shelter, food and care.
That gives the weary team release,
And leads them home, and crowns them there
With rest and shelter, food and care.
0 season of soft sounds and hues,
Of twilight walks among the dews,
Of feelings calm and converse sweet,
And thoughts too shadowy to repeat!
Of twilight walks among the dews,
Of feelings calm and converse sweet,
And thoughts too shadowy to repeat!
Yes, lovely hour! thou art the time
When feelings flow and wishes climb,
When timid souls begin to dare,
And God receives and answers prayer.
When feelings flow and wishes climb,
When timid souls begin to dare,
And God receives and answers prayer.
Then trembling, through the dewy skies,
Look out the stars, like thoughtful eyes,
Of angels, calm reclining there,
And gazing on the world of care.
Look out the stars, like thoughtful eyes,
Of angels, calm reclining there,
And gazing on the world of care.
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