THOUGHTS UNDER A TREE.

I NEVER sit me down beneath

A wood tree's pleasant shade,
And listen to the murmuring

By its branches made,
And give myself up to the spell

Of nature's faithfulness,
But a wounded heart pleads tearfully

For redress!

Oh! a story is written on river and rock,

And on the eloquent sky,
A story from whose spirit-tones

Man cannot fly;
For it comes to his heart with a tone of love,

And pleads for admittance there, And we listen with stinging ears

To its prayer.

On the sky a child is limned,

A child with sunny hair,
And a brow smooth and unwrinkled

By care!
And that child tells a tale with its rosy mouth,

Of innocence and bliss,
And days that flew like the breezes,

The flowers that kiss.

Ah me! for the days that are gone!

Wo's me! for the days that are now,
That write their sad experience

On a care-worn brow.
Down, rising heart; thou must meet

With the world like a strong-strong man; So flush my cheek that now

Is wan.

And I'll go and brave it manfully,

And laugh as loud as the best; And another day ’neath the green-wood tree

Thou shalt have rest.

ANGEL VISITS.

Bright ye seem as youth's best day dreams,

Full of joy and full of praise, Far off clouds in yellow sunbeams,

Memory painted, other days!

There, all beautiful in sunlight,

Stands a goodly company, Friends, with yearning youthful love, bright,

Who have gone their God to see.

Smile on! good friends! I'm with you smiling,

My laughing spirit's with you there, Hand in hand with friends beguiling

Biting thoughts of worldly care.

Journeying now as once together

With each phantom, hand in hand, Still we have sun-shiny weather,

Journeying in the warm Dream-Land.

For these travels oft my spirit

Had been longing, yet in vain ! Sad my fears, I might inherit

In this world, the curse of Cain.

For though thousands fluttered blindly

Round me in life's pleasure-blaze, Yet not one spoke to me kindly,

Like the loved of other days.

Then I fled from life's thronged river,

And sought out a Bower of Ease, Where the dancing sunbeams quiver

Through the shadowy roof of trees.

There I laid me down in sorrow;

There with morn's I mixed my tears; Joy from memory nought could borrow,

Hope fled from the coming years.

Then, like morn-light coyly peeping

O’er the misty mountain's head, Came the scene, which had been sleeping

In a heart to sorrow wed.

ANGEL VISITS.

47

There memory's show was stretched before me,

Angels with me did abide, Angel-harpings quivered o'er me,

Flowers sprang fragrant at my side.

Then in long white-robed procession

Came the loved of other days, Buried friends soothed my oppression,

By the old familiar ways.

Again, I'm singing, loved ones, with ye,

As when of old we fought with care, But ye fly! my peace I give ye,

As ye melt in upper air.

Come again with your blest presence,

Come again, ye spirit-friends, Let me often know the pleasance,

Which your shadowy coming lends.