THE splintered, northern mountains lay Where ice-cold, sparkling streams were welling. 2. Upon the mountains lay the snow, Far-gleaming snows that melted never; And deeply, darkly, far below, Went sounding on, a lonely river. 3. Upon the mountain summits hung The tempest-clouds so darkly scowling, And winds in caverned hollows sung, Like unto desert creatures howling. LIFE AMONG THE MOUNTAINS. 4. Day after day the sunshine slept, Night after night the moon was hidden; And rain and wind about us kept, Week after week, like guests unbidden. 5. And many a time the deep snows fell 6. We had a little flock of sheep, I herded them both night and morning; My mother in the house did keep Her busy wheel for ever turning. 7. What joy it was, as I brought them round, To hear that old wheel's droning sound, 8. On stilly eves, beside my flock, The sounds I heard will haunt me ever, The eagle rising from the rock, The wind-borne roaring of the river: 9. The gathering of the coming storm, Over the ridgy mountain stalking! 175 10. I saw, I heard, I loved them all; My days and nights were never weary, Though many a passing guest would call My life forlorn, those mountains dreary. 11. Would I were back among the hills, Could see the heath and scent the gowan, Would I could hear those sounding rills, And sit beneath the lonely rowan ! 12. But our little flock of sheep are gone, THE BETTER LAND. 1. 'I HEAR thee speak of the better land, 2. Is it where the feathery palm-trees rise, And the date grows ripe under sunny skies; THE LION, THE HEIFER, THE SHEEP, AND GOAT. 177 And strange bright birds, on their starry wings, 'Not there, not there, my child !' 3. Is it far away in some region old, Where the rivers wander o'er sands of gold?- -Not there, not there, my child!' 4. 'Eye hath not seen it, my gentle boy! THE LION, THE HEIFER, THE SHEEP, AND A HEIFER, her sister the Sheep, and a Goat, In days of yore, A paction swore Be the same less or more, And their losses and gains to divide by four. L A deer was caught in the snares of the Goat, Who immediately sends To summon her friends. They willingly come on their prey to gloat, And laid down the law, Deciding in quarters to serve it out, If you dare so much as the fourth to touch, ODE ON THE PASSIONS. WHEN Music, heavenly maid! was young, |