Poems (Osgood)/New England's Mountain Child
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NEW ENGLAND'S MOUNTAIN-CHILD.
Where foams the fall—a tameless storm—
Through Nature's wild and rich arcade,
Which forest-trees entwining form,
There trips the Mountain-maid!
Through Nature's wild and rich arcade,
Which forest-trees entwining form,
There trips the Mountain-maid!
She binds not her luxuriant hair
With dazzling gem or costly plume,
But gayly wreathes a rose-bud there,
To match her maiden-bloom.
With dazzling gem or costly plume,
But gayly wreathes a rose-bud there,
To match her maiden-bloom.
She clasps no golden zone of pride
Her fair and simple robe around;
By flowing riband, lightly tied,
Its graceful folds are bound.
Her fair and simple robe around;
By flowing riband, lightly tied,
Its graceful folds are bound.
And thus attired,—a sportive thing,
Pure, loving, guileless, bright, and wild,—
Proud Fashion! match me in your ring,
New England's Mountain-child!
Pure, loving, guileless, bright, and wild,—
Proud Fashion! match me in your ring,
New England's Mountain-child!
She scorns to sell her rich, warm heart,
For paltry gold, or haughty rank,—
But gives her love, untaught by art,
Confiding, free, and frank!
For paltry gold, or haughty rank,—
But gives her love, untaught by art,
Confiding, free, and frank!
And once bestow'd,—no fortune-change
That high and generous faith can alter;
Through grief and pain—too pure to range—
She will not fly or falter.
That high and generous faith can alter;
Through grief and pain—too pure to range—
She will not fly or falter.
Her foot will bound as light and free
In lowly hut as palace-hall;
Her sunny smile as warm will be,—
For Love to her is all!
In lowly hut as palace-hall;
Her sunny smile as warm will be,—
For Love to her is all!
Hast seen where in our woodland-gloom
The rich Magnolia proudly smiled?—
So brightly doth she bud and bloom,
New England's Mountain-child!
The rich Magnolia proudly smiled?—
So brightly doth she bud and bloom,
New England's Mountain-child!