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HILL DUTIFUL
Yet he climb’d on, and fell not; high and higher
He climb’d, and sealed the first peak’s slippery spire.
Then I, far down the valley, heard his cry
Come strongly piercing thro’ the lazy air,
And heard it in amaze: “Happy am I,
That am escaped out of the subtle snare!”
The shuddering valley-vapour shrank in fear
And fled, before that voice-elate and clear;
His every word came sharply to mine ear.
He climb’d, and sealed the first peak’s slippery spire.
Then I, far down the valley, heard his cry
Come strongly piercing thro’ the lazy air,
And heard it in amaze: “Happy am I,
That am escaped out of the subtle snare!”
The shuddering valley-vapour shrank in fear
And fled, before that voice-elate and clear;
His every word came sharply to mine ear.
“Blessed be this keen wind, that frees my brain
From torturing phantoms! Blessed each rough crag
That lets me feel thro’ every tingling vein
Life strongly throb! No more my footsteps flag,
They dread no more their journey—’tis begun!
And plain the path, ’neath this unsoften’d sun!
From torturing phantoms! Blessed each rough crag
That lets me feel thro’ every tingling vein
Life strongly throb! No more my footsteps flag,
They dread no more their journey—’tis begun!
And plain the path, ’neath this unsoften’d sun!
“Blessed am I, with none that may console,
No stalwart friend to travel at my side!
No stalwart friend to travel at my side!
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