Show c c A Summer Reverie 1 How fresh how pure how sweet the air It seems that Nature must be dreaming s Never breathed a day more fair Through trembling leaves of lotus tree Nor ever danced the sunshine streaming 1 Daintier neath canopies Of sweeter fragrance from the grouping Sil Silver ver blossoms lowly drooping r f t F In stately green not far away The massive elms that form the ending r Of the meadow gently sway way Their ancient tops and every puff Of passing wind bestirs a blending Clover scent though just enough To rove the eyes in drowsy turning Or awaken idle yearning The summer day so fresh so pure So tranquil that my soul of dreaming Which the flesh could not immure Is floating here and there My youthful fancy Cancy leads it seeming Happy viewing landscapes fair fair fair- The languid clouds ds in space reclining reclining- Or the distant meadow lining 1 Y t t j W 0 i It seems to me the fairies land And they within the daisies hiding Laughing gather hand in hand To scurry cross ross the grassy lea While like crystal-like the brook is gliding Through the willows merrily merrily Ah Ali listen to that clear voice ringing a robin sweetly singing And then begins the air to stir But look and see I 1 the wind is fleeing Running fawn like fawn like mid the whir Of rustling leaves 0 O why the cause It cannot be an earthly being See it now 1 I It makes a pause 1 still again 1 I But look 1 l quaking Every fibre starts to shaking It flees again 1 It springs away 1 swiftly passing by and brushing my cheeks while on the way The startled daisies try to lunge Into the grass and each one rushing Stops in turn t to look and plunge Until is heard a distant calling calling- Softly tiny drops are falling I IThe The wind has crept back very near To listen and to watch the gleaming Crystal drops The lairy fairy fear fearIs fearIs Is now no more and all around With vivid green the earth is teeming Fresher clearer comes the sound A Of robins oer o'er the meadow winging Mingled with their joyous singing It seems in heaven far above That God had gathered round Him kneel kneeling ng Angel spirits while of love So sad and beautiful he spoke Until their own sweet love unsealing As their peaceful souls awoke They all had placed within His keeping keepings s And departed softly weeping I know the wind and daisies heard Because I saw them rapt in And I do believe each word Was understood for everywhere The tear-drops tear fell or lingered In the sunshine and the air Within a spell my soul Neer Ne'er before seemed so refreshing k kAnd And then a wondrous arch appeared Of varied color slowly wending Through the sky The flowers reared Their heads to look and ceased to cry O 0 what can be that perfume blending In the mystic lotus sigh sigh sigh- So softly oer o'er my senses creeping t j That I thought I must be sleeping i it LJ i. i V lt i- i f t t I I saw each thing from my retreat Begin to move and further going going going- Still there came the odor sweet Of lotus blossoms til til I heard The trees astir and louder growing And in whiz whimpers pers came this word Vord Alera Lera Alera-Lera Lera faintly calling Lera Lera soft the echo falling While I yet this whisper hear And filled with vague and musing Comes a maiden drawing near Along a low sequestered path And as she walks she is Oer O'er a book of songs She hath bath hathA bathA A dress of whitest crepe enfolding Round a form of perfect And nearer nearer slowly she Adva Advances ces til I on discerning Her in sadness hurriedly Arise and haste to reach her side Yet from my glance by dainty turning Tried she then her tears to hide But oer o'er the tongue my throbs heart-throbs waking Rushed to the speech the silence breaking Ah Ah welcome dear unto this place I give to thee a cordial greeting greeting- But these tear stains on thy face What hath bath infused this sadness dear 0 O let this be a joyous meeting here Everything is happy And slowly then her eyes upturning 1 Showed to me a hungry yearning t E Then on her lips a kiss I pressed And led her ber to my bower making bower making Soft a bed for her to rest restHer restHer restHer Her body chaste and then she told toldA A little story of her waking Once in heaven while I did hold l' l Her nestling form nor ever seeming r Conscious that only dreaming Chester W. W Ames |