Early Fancies

A little child I loved the night,The purple twilight sky,—The yellow moon hung like a lampUp in the arched dome high;And when June's sunshine kissed the hills,Played on the clover slopes,I said the stars were coming downTo earth on silver ropes.

In the lone autumn of the year,I watched through window barsThe last faint crimson fade awayBefore the brightening stars;And then I feared the angels' cheeksWere paling at some grief;I thought, perhaps they, too, bemoanedThe "sere and yellow leaf."

Winter came on, with glory nightsOf Northern skies aflame:My childish heart was awed by these,And trembled at their name!For then, I thought, the great, good God,From His bright home on high,Was angry at my many sins,So burnt the midnight sky.

But lovely spring-time, dressed in flowers,Blushed o'er the happy earth;My soul arose! my spirit wokeTo a thrice nobler birth!When I looked up to the mild skies,I deemed myself forgiven,And through the mist I almost sawThe pearly gates of Heaven.