Poems (Trask)/One Night

by Clara Augusta Jones Trask

For works with similar titles, see One Night.

ONE NIGHT.

I wandered down the moonlit woods
 One calm October night,—
The very poplar-leaves hung still,
 The zephyrs were so light.

The pink-tinged radiance of the sky,
 Love-flushed the blazing stars,
Until my soul leaped up to break
 These mortal prison bars.

The brook ran softly o'er the grass,
 Impearling pebbles gray,—
The waterfall in fleecy clouds
 Of mist dissolved away.

The air so calm, and cool, and clear,
 I seemed to pierce the screen,
And look far up the ether voids
 To heavenly pastures green.

The crimson maples cast their leaves
 Low at my lingering feet,
And all the languorous atmosphere
 With dying flowers was sweet.

Lone! but, oh, grand! these autumn woods!
 Sad, cold and desolate!
The cast-off leaves and wan moonlight,
 The brown earth tesselate.

Solemn and still,—my soul is awed!
 Silence my spirit gives
For all this beauty! Here, O God,
 Thy fullest presence lives!