Page:Writings of Henry David Thoreau (1906) v5.djvu/444

402 I'll be thy Mercury,

Thou Cytherea to me,

Distinguished by thy face

The earth shall learn my place;

As near beneath thy light

Will I outwear the night,

With mingled ray

Leading the westward way.

Still will I strive to be

As if thou wert with me;

Whatever path I take,

It shall be for thy sake,

Of gentle slope and wide,

As thou wert by my side,

Without a root

To trip thy gentle foot.

I'll walk with gentle pace,

And choose the smoothest place,

And careful dip the oar,

And shun the winding shore,

And gently steer my boat

Where water-lilies float,

And cardinal-flowers

Stand in their sylvan bowers.