Here morning in the ploughman's songs is met Ere yet one footstep shows in all the sky, And twilight in the east, a doubt as yet, Shows not her sleeve of grey to know her bye....
Why should man's high aspiring mind Burn in him with so proud a breath, When all his haughty views can find In this world yields to Death? The fair, the brave, the vain, the wise,...
Poets love Nature, and themselves are love. Though scorn of fools, and mock of idle pride. The vile in nature worthless deeds approve, They court the vile and spurn all good beside....
Rank Poverty! dost thou my joys assail, And with thy threat'nings fright me from my rest? I once had thoughts, that with a Bloomfield's tale, And leisure hours, I surely should be blest;...
A beautiful flower, that bedeck'd a mean pasture, In virgin perfection I found; Its fair bloom stood naked to every disaster, And deep the storm gather'd around:...
Mary, the day of love's pleasures has been, And the day is o'erclouded and gone; These eyes all their fulness of pleasure have seen, What they never again shall look on....
Warm into praises, kindling muse, With grateful transport raise thy views To Him, who moves this ball, Who whirls, in silent harmony, The earth, the ocean, air, and sky-- O praise the Lord of all! ...
I went in the fields with the leisure I got, The stranger might smile but I heeded him not, The hovel was ready to screen from a shower, And the book in my pocket was read in an hour. ...
He loved the brook's soft sound, The swallow swimming by. He loved the daisy-covered ground, The cloud-bedappled sky. To him the dismal storm appeared The very voice of God;...
Young Chloe looks sweet as the rose, And her love might be reckoned no less, But her bosom so freely bestows That all may a portion possess. Her smiles would be cheering to see,...
O sweetly wild and 'witching Poesy! Thou light of this world's hermitage I prove thee; And surely none helps loving thee that knows thee, A soul of feeling cannot help but love thee....