SELECTIONS IN ENGLISH POETRY
Sound of vernal showers
On the twinkling grass,
Rain-awaken *d flowers,
All that ever was
Joyous, and clear, and fresh, thy music doth surpass: 60
Teach us, Sprite or Bird,
What sweet thoughts are thine:
I have never heard
Praise of love or wine
That panted forth a flood of rapture so divine. 65
Chorus Hymeneal,
Or triumphal chant,
Match'd with thine would be all
But an empty vaunt,
A thing wherein we feel there is some hidden want. 7°
What objects are the fountains
Of thy happy strain ?
What fields, or waves, or mountains?
What shapes of sky or plain ?
What love of thine own kind? what ignorance of pain ? 75
With thy clear keen joyance
Languor cannot be:
Shadow of annoyance
Never came near thee:
Thou lovest—but ne'er knew love's sad satiety. 80
Walking or asleep,
Thou of death must deem
Things more true and deep
Than we mortals dream,
Or how could thy notes flow in such a crystal stream ? 85
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