Poems (Hale)/"In dreams of silent night"
"IN DREAMS OF SILENT NIGHT."
In dreams of silent night, thy voice
Fell gently on my ear.
Though all unseen thy shadowy form,
Yet still that voice was near.
Fell gently on my ear.
Though all unseen thy shadowy form,
Yet still that voice was near.
Like music from some blessed land,
Upon my ear it stole,
And breathed a speechless ecstasy
Throughout my inmost soul.
Upon my ear it stole,
And breathed a speechless ecstasy
Throughout my inmost soul.
It woke, with wizard's spell, a thought
Of bright, but vanished hours;
When gayly in its blooming paths
I plucked life's thornless flowers.
Of bright, but vanished hours;
When gayly in its blooming paths
I plucked life's thornless flowers.
But not on me thy words sent forth
Their sweet mysterious flow.
Waking, thy thoughts are not of me:
Shall dreams the boon bestow?
Their sweet mysterious flow.
Waking, thy thoughts are not of me:
Shall dreams the boon bestow?
Still it was ecstasy to catch
That dear, though "careless word."
How oft by one low-uttered tone,
The heart's deep springs are stirred!
That dear, though "careless word."
How oft by one low-uttered tone,
The heart's deep springs are stirred!
I woke: the rapture was dispelled,
With morning's golden beam;
As life's most fair and dazzling joys
Prove oft a fading dream.
With morning's golden beam;
As life's most fair and dazzling joys
Prove oft a fading dream.