The fleet Ostrich, till day closes Brooding on her eggs reposes When chill night that care demands. Day and night my toils redouble, Night and day, I feel the trouble Of the Wanderer in my soul. 1800. XXIV. STRAY PLEASURES. "Pleasure is spread through the earth By their floating mill, That lies dead and still, Behold Prisoners three, yon The Miller with two Dames, on the breast of the Thames ! The platform is small, but gives room for them all; And they're dancing merrily. From the shore come the notes To their mill where it floats, To their house and their mill tethered fast: To the small wooden isle, where, their work to beguile, They from morning to even take whatever is given; And many a blithe day they have past. In sight of the spires, All alive with the fires Of the sun going down to his rest, In the broad open eye of the solitary sky, They dance, there are three, as jocund as free, While they dance on the calm river's breast. Man and Maidens wheel, They themselves make the reel, And their music 's a prey which they seize They dance not for me, Yet mine is their glee! Thus pleasure is spread through the earth The showers of the Spring Rouse the birds, and they sing; If the wind do but stir for his proper delight, Each leaf, that and this, his neighbor will kiss; Each wave, one and t'other, speeds after his brother; They are happy, for that is their right! XXV. 1806. THE PILGRIM'S DREAM; OR, THE STAR AND THE GLOWWORM. A PILGRIM, when the summer day Or heath-besprinkled copse might yield, He paced along; and, pensively, Halting beneath a shady tree, Whose moss-grown root might serve for couch or seat, Fixed on a Star his upward eye; Then from the tenant of the sky He turned, and watched, with kindred look, A Glowworm, in a dusky nook, Apparent at his feet. The murmur of a neighboring stream A pregnant dream, within whose shadowy bounds He recognized the earth-born Star, And that which glittered from afar And (strange to witness!) from the frame Intelligible sounds. Much did it taunt the humble Light, That now, when day was fled, and night Hushed the dark earth, fast closing weary eyes, A very reptile could presume To show her taper in the gloom, As if in rivalship with one Who sat a ruler on his throne Erected in the skies. "Exalted Star!" the Worm replied, "But not for this do I aspire To match the spark of local fire, That at my will burns on the dewy lawn, With thy acknowledged glories; - No! What favors do attend me here, When this in modest guise was said, A boding sound for aught but sleep unfit! Hills quaked, the rivers backward ran; That Star, so proud of late, looked wan; In the blue depth, like Lucifer Cast headlong to the pit! Fire raged and, when the spangled floor Of ancient ether was no more, New heavens succeeded, by the dream brought forth: And all the happy Souls that rode Transfigured through that fresh abode Had heretofore, in humble trust, This knowledge, from an Angel's voice |