Page:Translations (1834).djvu/132

80 Thou shrine of love, whose depth defies The axe—the tempest of the skies; Whose boughs in winter's frost display The brilliant livery of May! Grove from the precipice suspended, Like pillars of some holy fane; With notes amid thy branches blended, Like the deep organ’s solemn strain.

House of the birds of Paradise, Round fane impervious to the skies; On whose green roof two nights of rain May fiercely beat, and beat in vain! I know thy leaves are ever scathless; The hardened steel as soon will blight; When every grove and hill are pathless With frosts of winter’s lengthened night, No goat from Havren’s banks I ween, From thee a scanty meal may glean! Though Spring’s bleak wind with clamour launches His wrath upon thy iron spray; Armed holly tree! from thy firm branches He will not wrest a tithe away! Chapel of verdure, neatly wove, Above the summit of the grove!