NATURE.
Nature is wonderful, the light that plays
In every pleasing shape that eye could wish,
Painting the sunrise with Aurora's blush
And evening with the sunset's burning flames,
Flooding the zenith as with burnished gold
And e'en the gloaming with enchanting shades
That though less brilliant yet within themselves
Possess distinct and fascinating charms,
Is wonderful if we but paused to think
What our bright world would be, deprived of light,
Even the night would miss the twinkling lamps
And mellow moonbeams; while the day
Would lose her all, for light is day; and darkness
Would usurp her throne, hanging a sable curtain where before
The golden beams lost their identity in one unbroken flood, that swept adown
Aerial channels and through rifted clouds,
Harmoniously blending earth and heaven.
Take only light,—one blessing of our earth—
Leaving all else, flowers, birds and trees, beautiful landscapes, homes of loveliness,
Glittering gems and piles of hoarded wealth;
What were all these without a ray of light?
An idle mockery, through starless night blinded and groping, to exist were death,
Roaming through flowery meadows, by cool brooks
Stumbling o'er paths that light would make sublime,
Losing one's way within a hopeless maze,
Thirsting with plenteous streams on either hand,
Dying of hunger in green fields of corn,
Take light, and day is night and life is death
Comfort and happiness and friends are lost
In the dark labyrinth of starless night.
In every pleasing shape that eye could wish,
Painting the sunrise with Aurora's blush
And evening with the sunset's burning flames,
Flooding the zenith as with burnished gold
And e'en the gloaming with enchanting shades
That though less brilliant yet within themselves
Possess distinct and fascinating charms,
Is wonderful if we but paused to think
What our bright world would be, deprived of light,
Even the night would miss the twinkling lamps
And mellow moonbeams; while the day
Would lose her all, for light is day; and darkness
Would usurp her throne, hanging a sable curtain where before
The golden beams lost their identity in one unbroken flood, that swept adown
Aerial channels and through rifted clouds,
Harmoniously blending earth and heaven.
Take only light,—one blessing of our earth—
Leaving all else, flowers, birds and trees, beautiful landscapes, homes of loveliness,
Glittering gems and piles of hoarded wealth;
What were all these without a ray of light?
An idle mockery, through starless night blinded and groping, to exist were death,
Roaming through flowery meadows, by cool brooks
Stumbling o'er paths that light would make sublime,
Losing one's way within a hopeless maze,
Thirsting with plenteous streams on either hand,
Dying of hunger in green fields of corn,
Take light, and day is night and life is death
Comfort and happiness and friends are lost
In the dark labyrinth of starless night.
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