Parerga/Hush'd as the Sleep of Infant Love

​

HUSH'D AS THE SLEEP OF INFANT LOVE.

I.Hush'd, as the sleep of Infant Love,The weary world was lying;In dreamy whispers waved the wood,Its shadows slumbering on the flood,That slumber'd softly sighing.The clouds that streak'd th' ethereal blueIn slender ranks together drew,As if they loved to linger there,And muse o'er scenes so calm and fair.The starlight glitter'd in the stream,And look'd with trembling eyeUp to the steady starlight's gleam,That glow'd mid deepest sky;—Like one who loves, but doubts and fears;Whose timid gaze, mid glistening tears,Watches the loved-one's glance of lightSo softly and serenely bright.
II.All outward things below, above,The spirit of repose and loveHad steeped, as dews the flower;And o'er the world of inner'senseWas shed the gentle influenceOf that sweet midnight hour. ​'Twas doubly dear to think of thee,Because I felt my soul to beFrom earthly care and sorrow free.The tears gush'd from my eyes,Sweet as the showers of vernal skies.More sweet I felt those tears to beBecause they were inspired by thee.
III.Oh that the Visionary's creedSpake truly to the heart,That souls of those who fondly loveMay spring from earth, as springs the doveOn eager wing, and meet above,Although our forms on earth must moveFrom what we love apart!It was not all an idle dream;—For, gazing thus upon the gleamOf light and life through yonder skies,I cannot think of worldly things,But, borne on love's imaginings,My spirit seems to rise.And while such visions o'er me steal,The deep unearthly bliss I feel,Which youthful passion poured o'er meWhen, Dearest, first I gazed on thee.
This article is issued from Wikisource. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.