BEAUTY.

I GAZED upon thy face, and beating life
Once stilled its sleepless pulses in my breast,
And every thought whose being was a strife
Each in its silent chamber sank to rest;

I was not, save it were a thought of thee,

The world was but a spot where thou hadst trod, From every star thy glance seemed fixed on me, Almost I loved thee better than my God.

And still I gaze, but 'tis a holier thought

Than that in which my spirit lived before, Each star a purer ray of love has caught, Earth wears a lovelier robe than then it wore, And every lamp that burns around thy shrine Is fed with fire whose fountain is Divine.

THE WIND-FLOWER.

THOU lookest up with meek confiding eye
Upon the clouded smile of April's face,
Unharmed though Winter stands uncertain by
Eyeing with jealous glance each opening grace
Thou trustest wisely! in thy faith arrayed
More glorious thou than Israel's wisest King;
Such faith was his whom men to death betrayed
As thine who hear'st the timid voice of Spring,
While other flowers still hide them from her call
Along the river's brink and meadow bare.

Thee will I seek beside the stony wall,

And in thy trust with childlike heart would share, O'erjoyed that in thy early leaves I find

A lesson taught by him who loved all human kind.

THE ROBIN.

THOU need'st not flutter from thy half-built nest,
Whene'er thou hear'st man's hurrying feet go by,
Fearing his eye for harm may on thee rest,
Or he thy young unfinished cottage spy;
All will not heed thee on that swinging bough,
Nor care that round thy shelter spring the leaves,
Nor watch thee on the pool's wet margin now
For clay to plaster straws thy cunning weaves;
All will not hear thy sweet out-pouring joy,
That with morn's stillness blends the voice of song,
For over-anxious cares their souls employ,
That else upon thy music borne along

And the light wings of heart-ascending prayer Had learned that Heaven is pleased thy simple joys to share.

THE COLUMBINE.

STILL, still my eye will gaze long fixed on thee, Till I forget that I am called a man,

And at thy side fast-rooted seem to be,

And the breeze comes my cheek with thine to fan.
Upon this craggy hill our life shall pass,
A life of summer days and summer joys,
Nodding our honey-bells mid pliant grass
In which the bee half hid his time employs;
And here we'll drink with thirsty pores the rain,
And turn dew-sprinkled to the rising sun,
And look when in the flaming west again
His orb across the heaven its path has run;
Here left in darkness on the rocky steep,

My weary eyes shall close like folding flowers in

sleep.

THE NEW BIRTH.

'Tis a new life;—thoughts move not as they did
With slow uncertain steps across my mind,
In thronging haste fast pressing on they bid
The portals open to the viewless wind

That comes not save when in the dust is laid

The crown of pride that gilds each mortal brow,
And from before man's vision melting fade

The heavens and earth; - their walls are falling

now.

Fast crowding on, each thought asks utterance strong;
Storm-lifted waves swift rushing to the shore,

On from the sea they send their shouts along,
Back through the cave-worn rocks their thunders

roar;

And I a child of God by Christ made free
Start from death's slumbers to Eternity.