Page:Hemans in Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine 33 1833.pdf/8



"A dancing shape, an image gay, To haunt, to startle, to waylay. A being breathing thoughtful breath, A traveller between life and death."

him at his sport erewhile, The bright exulting boy, Like summer's lightning came the smile Of his young spirit's joy; A flash that wheresoe'er it broke, To life undreamt-of beauty woke.

His fair locks waved in sunny play, By a clear fountain's side, Where jewel-colour'd pebbles lay Beneath the shallow tide; And pearly spray at times would meet The glancing of his fairy feet.

He twined him wreaths of all spring-flowers, Which drank that streamlet's dew; He flung them o'er the wave in showers, Till, gazing, scarce I knew Which seem'd more pure, or bright, or wild, The singing fount or laughing child.

To look on all that joy and bloom Made Earth one festal scene, Where the dull shadow of the tomb Seem'd as it ne'er had been. How could one image of decay Steal o'er the dawn of such clear day?

I saw once more that aspect bright— The boy's meek head was bow'd In silence o'er the Book of Light, And like a golden cloud, The still cloud of a pictured sky— His locks droop'd round it lovingly.

And if my heart had deem'd him fair, When in the fountain glade, A creature of the sky and air, Almost on wings he play'd; Oh! how much holier beauty now Lit the young human Being's brow!

The Being born to toil, to die, To break forth from the tomb, Unto far nobler destiny Than waits the sky-lark's plume! I saw him, in that thoughtful hour, Win the first knowledge of his dower.

The soul, the awakening soul I saw, My watching eye could trace