Poems (Douglas)/Doleful Breezes
Doleful Breezes.
Doleful breezes, fain would I
Catch those voices flitting by,
Wailings fading to a sigh.
Catch those voices flitting by,
Wailings fading to a sigh.
Bear ye on your wandering wings,
Weary hearts, sad utterings?
Fraught ye seem with mournful things.
Weary hearts, sad utterings?
Fraught ye seem with mournful things.
With each gust that sweeps the wood,
Sounds like anguish sobs subdued,
On the lips of widowhood.
Sounds like anguish sobs subdued,
On the lips of widowhood.
In wild snatches float around,
With the sere leaf's rustling sound,
Wherefore do these tones abound?
With the sere leaf's rustling sound,
Wherefore do these tones abound?
On this bough, where leaves but one
To the withering spray clings on,
Like the heart to hopes nigh gone,
To the withering spray clings on,
Like the heart to hopes nigh gone,
Hangs my lyre, with cypress twined,—
To your touch, oh! wavering wind,
Is each trembling chord resigned.
To your touch, oh! wavering wind,
Is each trembling chord resigned.
They shall vibrate to your sighs,
As they mournful fall and rise,
And in song breathe your replies.
As they mournful fall and rise,
And in song breathe your replies.
Now the wind-woke numbers flow,
Fading plaintively and slow,
Into sounds like woe, oh! oh!
Fading plaintively and slow,
Into sounds like woe, oh! oh!
Louder strains the chords assume,
Sad as voices round a tomb,
Floats, alas! for earth's bright bloom.
Sad as voices round a tomb,
Floats, alas! for earth's bright bloom.
Yesterday it seems to me,
When the rose adorned the tree,
And the green bough waved in glee.
When the rose adorned the tree,
And the green bough waved in glee.
All around—above—below—
Wore a freshness and a glow,
Seen no longer, woe, woe, woe.
Wore a freshness and a glow,
Seen no longer, woe, woe, woe.
We have swept the lonely bowers,
Sighing fanned the drooping flowers,
When their bright leaves fell in showers.
Sighing fanned the drooping flowers,
When their bright leaves fell in showers.
Moaning o'er the wreck we pass,
Leafless bough and withered grass,
All of beauty, now—alas!
Leafless bough and withered grass,
All of beauty, now—alas!
Oh! ye winds, too sad your strain,
Moons but few shall shine and wane,
Till the earth's all joy again;
Moons but few shall shine and wane,
Till the earth's all joy again;
Till green-mantled spring appears,
With her flowers, her smiles, and tears,
Lovely as in by-gone years;
With her flowers, her smiles, and tears,
Lovely as in by-gone years;
Calling into glorious birth
All that beautified the earth,
All that filled the woods with mirth.
All that beautified the earth,
All that filled the woods with mirth.
But, where yonder cypress sways,
Lies a flower no spring can raise,
Lost for ever to our gaze.
Lies a flower no spring can raise,
Lost for ever to our gaze.
Laid in beauty in the tomb,
Never to out-step its gloom;
Oh! ye winds, sigh o'er that doom.
Never to out-step its gloom;
Oh! ye winds, sigh o'er that doom.
Winds of softer, milder play,
O'er the quivering harp strings stray,
Calling forth a sweeter lay.
O'er the quivering harp strings stray,
Calling forth a sweeter lay.
In a bright celestial bower
Blooms that now transplanted flower,
Ne'er to bend, neath blast or shower;
Blooms that now transplanted flower,
Ne'er to bend, neath blast or shower;
In immortal beauty's pride,
By the Rose of Sharon's side,
Where no ill can e'er betide;
By the Rose of Sharon's side,
Where no ill can e'er betide;
Where no storm e'er shed its gloom,
Triumphing in life and bloom,
O'er decay and o'er the tomb.
Triumphing in life and bloom,
O'er decay and o'er the tomb.