Poems (Trask)/Early Fancies
EARLY FANCIES.
A little child I loved the night, The purple twilight sky,—The yellow moon hung like a lamp Up in the arched dome high; And when June's sunshine kissed the hills, Played on the clover slopes, I said the stars were coming down To earth on silver ropes.
In the lone autumn of the year, I watched through window bars The last faint crimson fade away Before the brightening stars; And then I feared the angels' cheeks Were paling at some grief; I thought, perhaps they, too, bemoaned The "sere and yellow leaf."
Winter came on, with glory nights Of Northern skies aflame: My childish heart was awed by these, And trembled at their name! For then, I thought, the great, good God, From His bright home on high, Was angry at my many sins, So burnt the midnight sky.
But lovely spring-time, dressed in flowers, Blushed o'er the happy earth; My soul arose! my spirit woke To a thrice nobler birth! When I looked up to the mild skies, I deemed myself forgiven, And through the mist I almost saw The pearly gates of Heaven.