Visit to the Birthplace

Bright summer's flush was on thee, clime beloved,When last I trod thy vales. Now, all around,Autumn her rainbow energy of tintPoureth o'er copse and forest, beautiful,Yet speaking of decay. The aspiring pineWears his undying green; but the strong oak,Like smitten giant, casts his honours down,Strewing brown earth with emerald and gold.Yon lofty elms, the glory of our land,So lately drooping 'neath their weight of leaves,With proud, yet graceful elegance, to earth,Stand half in nakedness, and half in showOf gaudy colours. Hath some secret shaftWounded the maple's breast, that thus it bendsLike bleeding warrior, tinging all its robesWith crimson? while in pity by its side,The pallid poplar, turning to the eyeIts silver lining, moans at every breeze.

I roved in sadness through those alter'd scenes.The voice of man was painful. On the earIdly and vague it fell, for tearful thoughtWrought inward, mid the faded imageryOf early days.See there, yon low-brow'd cot,Whose threshold oft my childish foot has cross'd

So merrily, whose hearth-stone shone so brightAt eve, where with her skilful needle wroughtThe industrious matron, while our younger groupBeguiled with fruit, and nuts, and storied pageThe winter's stormy hour: where is she now?Who coldly answers? dead!Fast by its sideA dearer mansion stands, where my young eyesFirst open'd on the light. That garden's bound,Where erst I roam'd delighted, deeming earth,With all its wealth, had naught so beautifulAs its trim hedge of roses, and the ranksOf daffodils, with snowdrops at their feet,How small and changed it seems! The velvet turf,With its cool arbour, where I linger'd longConning my little lesson, or, perchance,Eying the slowly-ripening peach, that lean'dIts downy cheek against the latticed wall,Or holding converse with the violet-buds,That were to me as sisters, giving backSweet thoughts: say, is it not less green than whenMy childhood wander'd there?Lo! by rude rocksO'ercanopied, the dome where science taughtHer infant rudiments. First day of school!I well remember thee, just on the vergeOf my fourth summer. Every face aroundHow wonderful and new! The months moved onMajestically slow. Awe-struck, I mark'dThe solemn schooldame in her chair of state,Much fearing lest her all-observant eyeMight note me wandering from my patchwork task

Or spelling lesson. Yet that frigid realmSome sunbeams boasted, whose delicious warmthLent nutriment to young amrbition's germes."Head of the class!" what music in that sound,Link'd to my name; and then, the crowning joy,Homeward to bear, on shoulder neatly pinn'd,The bow of crimson satin, rich rewardOf well-deserving, not too lightly wonOr worn too meekly. Still ye need not scornOur humble training, ye of modern times,Wiser and more accomplish'd. Learning's field,Indeed, was circumscribed, but its few plantsHad such close pruning and strict disciplineAs giveth healthful root and hardy stalk,Perchance, enduring fruit.Beneath yon roof—Our own no more—beneath my planted trees,Where unfamiliar faces now appear,She dwelt, whose hallow'd welcome was so dear;O Mother, Mother! all thy priceless loveIs fresh before me, as of yesterday.Thy pleasant smile, the beauty of thy brow,Thine idol fondness for thine only one,The untold tenderness with which thy heartEmbraced my firstborn infant, when my joys,Swelling to their full climax, bore it on,With its young look of wonder, to thy home,A stranger visitant. Fade, visions, fade!Ye make her vacant place too visible,Ye stir the sources of the bitter tear,When I would think of her eternal gain,And praise my God for her.

And now farewell,Dear native spot! with fairest landscapes deck'd,Of old romantic cliff, and crystal rill,And verdant soil, enrich'd with proudest wealth,Warm hearts and true.Yet deem not I shall wearThe mourner's weeds for thee. Another homeHath joys and duties. And, where'er my pathOn earth shall lead, I'll keep a nesting boughFor hope, the song-bird, and, with cheerful step,Hold on my pilgrimage, remembering whereFlowers have no autumn-languor, Eden's gateNo flaming sword, to guard the tree of life.