AUTUMN.

I.

THE Autumn skies are flush'd with gold,

And fair and bright the rivers run;

These are but streams of winter cold,

And painted mists that quench the sun.

II.

In secret boughs no sweet birds sing,
In secret boughs no bird can shroud;
These are but leaves that take to wing,
And wintry winds that pipe so loud.

III.

'Tis not trees' shade, but cloudy glooms

That on the cheerless vallies fall,

The flowers are in their grassy tombs,

And tears of dew are on them all.

RUTH.

SHE stood breast high amid the corn,

Clasp'd by the golden light of morn, Like the sweetheart of the sun,

Who many a glowing kiss had won.

On her cheek an autumn flush,
Deeply ripened ;-such a blush
In the midst of brown was born,
Like red poppies grown with corn.

Round her eyes her tresses fell,

Which were blackest none could tell,

But long lashes veil'd a light,

That had else been all too bright.

And her hat, with shady brim,
Made her tressy forehead dim ;—
Thus she stood amid the stooks,
Praising God with sweetest looks :-

Sure, I said, heav'n did not mean, Where I reap thou should'st but glean,

Lay thy sheaf adown and come,

Share my harvest and my home.

THE SEA OF DEATH.

A FRAGMENT.

Methought I saw

Life swiftly treading over endless space; And, at her foot-print, but a bygone pace, The ocean-past, which, with increasing wave, Swallow'd her steps like a pursuing grave.

Sad were my thoughts that anchor'd silently
On the dead waters of that passionless sea,
Unstirr'd by any touch of living breath :
Silence hung over it, and drowsy Death,

Like a gorged sea-bird, slept with folded wings
On crowded carcases- -sad passive things

That wore the thin grey surface, like a veil

Over the calmness of their features pale.

And there were spring-faced cherubs that did sleep
Like water-lilies on that motionless deep,

How beautiful! with bright unruffled hair

On sleek unfretted brows, and eyes that were
Buried in marble tombs, a pale eclipse!
And smile-bedimpled cheeks, and pleasant lips,
Meekly apart, as if the soul intense

Spake out in dreams of its own innocence :

And so they lay in loveliness, and kept

The birth-night of their peace, that Life e'en wept

With very envy of their happy fronts;

For there were neighbour brows scarr'd by the brunts

Of strife and sorrowing-where Care had set

His crooked autograph, and marr'd the jet

Of glossy locks, with hollow eyes forlorn,

And lips that curl'd in bitterness and scorn

Wretched, -as they had breathed of this world's pain,

And so bequeath'd it to the world again

Through the beholder's heart in heavy sighs.