Page:The Poets and Poetry of the West.djvu/455

 1840-50.] EMELINE H. JOHNSON. 439 Bringing o'er the heart a throng Of wild memories, sad and sweet, "While the hidden pulses beat With a low and mournful tone, For returnless pleasures gone. 'Twas a brilliant night in June, And the mild and placid moon, From her starry girted height, Poured a flood of love-like light, Over hill and vale and stream, And the stars beamed sadly bright, As the vision of a dream. Two young lovely beings stood In the margin of a wood: One a youth of seventeen, With an eye as flashing keen As the eagle's in its flight, When it drinks the blazing light; — And he bent an earnest gaze, On the young and girlish face Turning upward to his own. O'er which love's soft light was thrown; She a girl of azure eyes. Dark and dreamy as the skies. One white arm, all round and bare, Rested in his glossy hair. And as arm and I'inglet met. Gleaming snow entwined with jet, One dark, soft and silken curl Lay upon her neck of pearl. Mingling, in a mazy fold, With her locks of wavy gold. Let us listen to their vows : " By the dew upon the boughs, By the countless stars, that gleam Yonder, in the silver stream, By the lilies bending there; As thine own young forehead fair; By the violet-cups that lave Their blue petals in the wave; . By the love-inspiring light. Pouring down from yonder height; By the dark blue midnight skies; Deep as thine own azure eyes; By the loveliest things we see. Thee I love, and only thee!" "Ah! that dew at dawning day. From the bough will melt away; And those stars, which beam so bright, And that love-inspiring light ; All must vanish with the night, And the flowers will droop and die, Ere another day glides by; And those skies so darkly blue. In an hour will change their hue. Even now these things decay, Where's thy love then? — pass'd away!" "By thine own sweet ruby lips By thy cheek whose hues eclipse. In their deep and changing glow, Sunset's rosy gleam on snow. By thy bright hair's wavy curl. By thy spotless brow of pearl, By thy deep and well-like eyes Where a world of passion lies. Do I bend before thy shrine; And till these shall cease to shine, I am thine, and only thine!" "Ah! these too, must soon decay, Where's tliy love then? — pass'd away!" "By the love that dwells the while, In thine own bewitching smile. By affection's springs, that deep Hidden in thy bosom sleep, By the love that spurns control, Deep within thine inmost soul. By the wild idolatry. Thy young heart doth bear to me, By this then, and this alone, I am heart and soul thine own!" " These can never pass away I am thine, and thine for aye ! "