SPRING IS COMING. FAIR SPRING is coming!-'neath her feet, behold Nature's young verdure rise, in am'rous strife O'er the glad earth the floral tribes unfold Their fairest petals, with sweet incense rife! Sweet Spring is coming-lovely, teeming Spring!Time's germs her em'rald zone encircling shields, Till Summer's breath to fair perfection bring The wondrous progeny of groaning fields. Lo! Spring is coming-coming, from the Past, The scatter'd seed that Autumn's whirlwinds cast No!-from decay it springs to life anew, And shall thy life, O man! reveal no Spring- Than those the Past in quick succession brought? Shall no fair graces of the soul abound Sweet Charity on fell Suspicion's tomb, And "meek-eyed Pity" on the reeking ground Where stern Revenge of yore pronounced her doom, And gentle Reason senseless Pride uproot, And Prudence spread her shelt'ring boughs abroad Where rash Presumption hung her deadly fruit Or Speculation airy nothings stored ? Shalt thou, O heart! no Spring within thee know ?- Till in exulting strength they reach the sky! ATONEMENT FOR THE ERRORS OF A PEN. 'Deeper than e'er did plummet sound, I'll drown my Book.”—Shakspere's “Tempest.” IF e'er to bear one painful thought Or cause thy breast a sigh This little shaft with ink was fraught, Be it for ever dry !— If to throw cheerless gloom around Thy mind,-Oh, then, "Deeper than e'er did plummet sound," I'll drown my Pen !" If one sad doubt e'er shook thy breast,— If once it wrote me changed, Or, coward-like, the truth suppress'd, And made me seem estranged, 32 ATONEMENT FOR THE ERRORS OF A PEN. Deep it shall lie, and ne'er be found, In Neptune's den Deeper than e'er did plummet sound," I'll sink such Pen! If o'er thy brow, so calm and clear, Or frighted smiles from lips so dear, That past whose reign did so abound With love,-Oh, then, Deeper than e'er did plummet sound," If through thy breast one anguish'd thrill— If from thine eye a tear Were tortured by its cruel skill, (Though as my life 'twere dear,) I'll reach Contrition's utmost bound, Atoning, when, Deeper than e'er did plummet sound," I'll drown my Pen! |