He springs from his hammock-he flies to the deck,
Amazement confronts him with images dire—
Wild winds and mad waves drive the vessel a wreck-
The masts fly in splinters- the shrouds are on fire!
Like mountains the billows tremendously swell
In vain the lost wretch calls on mercy to save; Unseen hands of spirits are ringing his knell,
And the death-angel flaps his broad wings o'er the wave
Oh! sailor-boy, wo to thy dream of delight!
In darkness dissolves the gay frost-work of bliss Where now is the picture that fancy touch'd bright, Thy parents' fond pressure, and love's honied kiss?
Oh! sailor-boy! sailor-boy! never again
Shall home, love, or kindred, thy wishes repay; Unbless'd and unhonor'd, down deep in the main,
Full many a score fathom, thy frame shall decay.
No tomb shall e'er plead to remembrance for thee,
Or redeem form or fame from the merciless surge;
But the white foam of waves shall thy winding-sheet be,
And winds, in the midnight of winter, thy dirge.
On beds of green sea flower thy limbs shall be laid;
Around thy white bones the red coral shall grow;
Of thy fair yellow locks threads of amber be made,
And every part suit to thy mansion below.
shall circle away, And still the vast waters above thee shall roll
Earth loses thy pattern for ever and aye
Oh! sailor-boy! sailor-boy! peace to thy soul!
What shall I do? — whichever way I turn,
Scenes of incessant horror strike my eye;
Bare barren walls gloom formidably round,
And not a ray of hope is left to cheer.
Sorrowing and sick, the partner of my fate
Lies on her bed of straw-beside her, sad,
My children dear, cling to her breast and weep;
Or, press'd by hunger, hunt each nook for food,
And quite exhausted, climb these knees in vain
Ah! looks too eloquent! — too plainly mark'd;
Ye ask for bread- I have no bread to give
Must they untimely sink into the grave?
Must all be victims to a fate so sore?
The world will nothing give but barren frowns:
What then remains ? — there stands the wretched hut
I dare not enter - Heaven befriend them all!
What then remains ? — The night steals on apace;
Made gloomier by the deep'ning shades of night,
Suits well the sad disorder of my soul:
The passing owl shrieks horrible her wail,
And conscience broods o'er her prophetic note;
Light springs the hare upon the wither'd leaf,
The rabbit frolics
and the guilty mind Starts at the sound, as at a giant's tread.
Ah me! I hear a horse upon the road-
Forgive me, Providence, forgive me, man!
I tremble thro' the heart- - the clattering hoof
Re-echoes thro' the wood
And lights me to my prey:
Behold a being born like thee to live,
And yet endow'd with fortitude to die,
Were his alone the pang of poverty:
But a dear wife, now starving far from hence,
Seven hapless hungry children at her side,
A frowning world, and an ungrateful friend
Urge him to actions which his heart ablors:
Assist us
save us- pity my despair,
O'erlook my fault, and view me as a man.
A fellow mortal sues to thee for bread,
Invites thy charity-invites thy heart:
Perhaps thou art a husband, and a father :
Think if thy babes, like mine, dejected lay
And held their little hands to thee for food,
What would'st thou have me do, wert thou like me,
Driv'n to distress like mine.
Make our sad case your own
Oh! then-befriend,
I ask no more,
Nor will I force what bounty caunot spare:
Let me not take, assassin-like, the boon
Which, humbly bending at thy feet, I beg,
Ne'er till this night-
[Traveller gives him a purse.]
Heaven speed thee on thy way!
May plenty ever sit within thy house!
If thou hast children, angels guard their steps!
Health scatter roses round each little cheek
And Heaven at last reward thy soul with bliss!
He's gone-and left his purse within my hand.
Thou much desired! thou often sought! in vain.
- at length I hold thee fast.
Swift let me fly upon the wings of love,
And bear the blessing to my fainting babes,
Then gently take Louisa in my arms,
And whisper to the mourner happier days.
Hark! what noise was that?
"Twas the dull bittern booming o'er my head;
The raven follows her-The dusky a
Thickens each form upon the cheated sight:
Ha! somewhat shot across the way, methiuks!
'Tis but the shadow of this stripling tree,
That throws its baby arms as blows the gale.
Each object terrifies Guilt's anxious heart!
The robber trembles at
O Heaven! what have I done?
Shall then Louisa live on spoil?
Shall my poor children eat the bread of theft?
And have I, at the peaceful hour of night,
— Like some malignant thing that prowls the wood Have I ! —a very felon! sought relief
By means like these? And yet the traveller
Gave what I asked as if in charity;
Perhaps his heart, compassionately kind,
Gave from an impulse it could not resist:
Perhaps 'twas fear-lest murder might ensue :
Alas! I bore no arms no blood I sought!
How knew he that?-Yet sure he might perceive
The hardened villain spoke not in my air,
Trembling and cold, my hand was join'd with his,
My knees shook hard, my feeble accents fail'd,
The father's-husband's-tears bedew'd my face,
And virtue almost triumph'd o'er despair!
And there lay the rider distorted and pale,
With the dew on his brow, and the rust on his mail,
And the tents were all silent, the banners alone,
The lances unlifted, the trumpet unblown.
And the widows of Ashur are loud in their wail,
And the idols are broke in the temple of Baal;
And the might of the Gentile, unsmote by the sword,
Hath melted like snow in the glance of the Lord!
I HAD a dream, which was not all a dream.
The bright sun was extinguished, and the stars
Did wander darkling in the eternal space,
Rayless, and pathless; and the icy earth
Swung blind and blackening in the moonless air;
Morn came, and went― and came and brought no day,
And men forgot their passions in the dread
Of this their desolation: and all hearts
Were chilled into a selfish prayer for light :
And they did live by watchfires- and the thrones,
The palaces of crowned kings—the huts,
The habitations of all things which dwell,
Were burnt for beacons ; cities were consumed,
And men were gathered round their blazing home?
To look once more into each other's face;
Happy were those who dwelt within the eye
Of the volcanoes, and their mountain torch :
A fearful hope was all the world contained;
Forests were set on fire-but hour by hour
They fell and faded—and the crackling trunks
Extinguished with a crash — and all was black.
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