Felicia Hemans in Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine Volume 30 1831/Dreams of Heaven
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 30, Page 529
DREAMS OF HEAVEN,
BY MRS HEMANS.
Dream'st thou of Heaven?—What dreams are thine?
Fair child, fair gladsome child!
With eyes that like the dewdrop shine,
And bounding footstep wild.
Tell me what hues th' immortal shore
Can wear, my Bird! to thee,
Ere yet one shadow hath pass'd o'er
Thy glance and spirit free?
"Oh! beautiful is heaven, and bright
With long, long summer days!
I see its lilies gleam in light,
Where many a fountain plays.
"And there unchecked, methinks, I rove,
Seeking where young flowers lie,
In vale and golden-fruited grove—
Flowers that are not to die!"
Thou Poet of the lonely thought,
Sad heir of gifts divine!
Say, with what solemn glory fraught
Is Heaven in dream of thine?
"Oh! where the living waters flow
Along that radiant shore,
My soul, a wanderer here, shall know
The exile-thirst no more!
"The burden of the stranger's heart
Which here unknown I bear,
Like the night-shadow shall depart,
With my first wakening there.
"And borne on eagle-wings afar,
Free thought shall claim its dower
From every sphere, from every star,
Of glory and of power."
O woman! with the soft sad eye
Of spiritual gleam!
Tell me of those bright realms on high,
How doth thy deep heart dream?
By thy sweet mournful voice I know,
On thy pale brow I see,
That thou hast lov'd in silent woe,
Say, what is Heaven to thee?
"Oh! Heaven is where no secret dread
May haunt Love's meeting hour;
Where from the past, no gloom is shed
O'er the heart's chosen bower:
"Where every sever'd wreath is bound;
And none have heard the knell
That smites the soul in that wild sound—
Farewell, belov'd!—Farewell!"