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Caroline Elizabeth Sarah Norton - The Poet’s Choice
Work rating: Low

I.

`Twas in youth, that hour of dreaming; 
Round me, visions fair were beaming, 
Golden fancies, brightly gleaming, 
Such as start to birth 
When the wandering restless mind, 
Drunk with beauty, thinks to find 
Creatures of a fairy kind 
Realised on Earth! 
II.

Then, for me, in every dell 
Hamadryads seem`d to dwell 
(They who die, as Poets tell, 
Each with her own tree); 
And sweet mermaids, low reclining, 
Dim light through their grottos shining, 
Green weeds round their soft limbs twinng, 
Peopled the deep Sea. 
III.

Then, when moon and stars were fair, 
Nymph-like visions fill`d the air, 
With blue wings and golden hair 
Bending from the skies; 
And each cave by echo haunted 
In its depth of shadow granted, 
Brightly, the Egeria wanted, 
To my eager eyes. 
IV.

But those glories pass`d away; 
Earth seem`d left to dull decay, 
And my heart in sadness lay, 
Desolate, uncheer`d; 
Like one wrapt in painful sleeping, 
Pining, thirsting, waaking, weeping, 
Watsh thro` Life`s dark midnight keeping, 
Till THY form appear`d! 
V.

THEN my soul, whose erring measure 
Knew not where to find true pleasure 
Woke and seized the golden treasure 
Of thy human love; 
And, looking on thy radiant brow, 
My lips in gladness breathed the vow 
Which angels, not more fair than thou, 
Have register`d above. 
VI.

And now I take my quiet rest, 
With my head upon thy breast, 
I will make no fiurther quest 
In Fancy`s realms of light; 
Fay, nor nymph, nor wingēd spirit, 
Shall my store of love inherit; 
More thy mortal charm doth merit 
Than dream, however bright: 
VII.

And my soul,-like some sweet bird 
Whose song at summer eve is heard, 
When the breeze, so lightly stirr`d, 
Leaves the branch unbent,-- 
Sits and all-triumphant sings, 
Folding up her brooding wings, 
And gazing out on earthly things 
With a calm content.
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