Poems (Lassen)/A Poem

by May C. Lassen

A POEM 

To MRS. FRANKIE RICHET WALKER
Portland, Ore.

I watched the birth of each fair dawn,
 The rising sun, in glorious light,
Grow into rosy morn.
 (A wond'rous, beauteous sight)
All through the valley,
 And o'er, the mountain heights
Dewy mists kept rising
 Veiling with vapors grey,
The mighty trees, and approach of coming day.
 But as the ascending sun grew stronger,
Its piercing rays cleared
 Mists and clouds alike away.
And as some fairy magic wonder
 Earth's loveliness revealed,
Superb, by perfect day.
 Now from the woodland hills nearby
Commingling voices of the birds,
 With the cuckoo's cry
Rend the air with untold melodies.
 Thus all drowsy earth awakes
And lives and breathes
 In silent woods, among the trees,
In mossy dells, and streaming brocks,
 Along the hills, in quiet nooks,
And like one long, enchanting dream,
 So doth appear fair nature's scene.

I watched the coming twilight hour
 Forshadowing the night.
The wonders of a Supreme Power,
 In countless stars that shown so bright,
The climbing moon, behind the hill
 Shed silv'ry beams o'er rock and rill.
And evening, now quite calm and still
 Calls forth the nightingale's sweet trill.
I listen to the passionate song
 Of love's young dream, life's cruel wrong.
Of faith betrayed, love buried, dead,
 All cherished hopes forever fled.
Alas! that song of love and woe,
 Brings back dear days of long ago.
Then sighing oft', my eyes grow wet,
 And dreaming, I would fain
In endless sleep, the World forget.