Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: ODE TO THE SUN. To Thee I tune a lay, Thou mighty light of day! Lo! marshalled in thy sight, Within the depths of night, Unnumbered worlds are sown, As vassals round thy throne,— From thy bright path of gold The worshippers behold! Lo! Nature meets her end, — And Night, the Spirit's friend, O'er her pale beauty bowed, Has wrapped her in her shroud, - And many stars of night Gaze sadly on the sight. But deign once more to rise From out the Eastern skies, And loose thy fiery flood,— As the rose within the bud, Then Nature in her throes With life and colour glows. And smiling on the glade, On every shining blade, High o'er the mountain gleam! Life's ever-gliding stream In icy barriers bound, Then flows with gentle sound, To mirror on its breast Thy beams that never rest,— Till, turning at thy call, They seek thy Western hall, Of loving hearts the hope,— Till wide thy portals ope, And weary souls shall rest In mansions of the Blest! O Divine light of Day,— Whence, whence comest thou ? Say! Wert thou there, wert thou there, When the Almighty's fond care,- ; In the full sheen of night, Sowed bright flames for thy light? Or perchance by the side Of His throne didst thou bide, And kneel in the air Like an Angel at prayer? Till, too proud to accord The demands of thy Lord, He hurled in His ire Thy circle of fire Like a ball into space, To proclaim by thy face His glory and His might In the regions of Night. Say! for this dost thou drift For aye restless and swift In the seas of the sky,— And no friendly ally Bids the wanderer stay From his lone weary way? Yes! for this thou dost shroud 'Neath the veil of a cloud The deep blushes that glow On thy face here below ; For thou mournest the hour When God in His power Sent thee ever to roam From thy Heaven...