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Mary Darby Robinson - Morning
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O`ER fallow plains and fertile meads,
  AURORA lifts the torch of day;
The shad`wy brow of Night recedes,
  Cold dew-drops fall from every spray;
Now o`er the thistle`s rugged head,
  Thin veils of filmy vapour fly,
On ev`ry violet`s perfum`d bed
  The sparkling gems of Nature lie. 

The hill`s tall brow is crown`d with gold,
  The Milk-maid trills her jocund lay,
The Shepherd-boy unpens his fold,
  The Lambs along the meadows play;
The pilf`ring LARK, with speckled breast,
  From the ripe sheaf`s rich banquet flies;
And lifting high his plumy crest,
  Soars the proud tenant of the skies. 

The PEASANT steals with timid feet,
  And gently taps the cottage door;
Or on the green sod takes his seat,
  And chaunts some well-known ditty o`er;
Wak`d by the strain, the blushing MAID,
  Unpractis`d in Love`s mazy wiles, 
In clean, but homely garb array`d,
  From the small casement peeps­and smiles. 

Proud CHANTICLEER unfolds his wing,
  And flutt`ring struts in plumage gay;
The glades with vocal echoes ring,
  Soft odours deck the hawthorn spray;
The SCHOOL-BOY saunters o`er the green,
  With satchel, fill`d with Learning`s store;
While with dejected, sullen mien,
  He cons his tedious lesson o`er. 

When WINTER spreads her banner chill,
  And sweeps the vale with freezing pow`r;
And binds in spells the vagrant rill,
  And shrivels ev`ry ling`ring flow`r;
When NATURE quits her verdant dress,
  And drops to earth her icy tears;
E`EN THEN thy tardy glance can bless,
  And soft thy weeping eye appears. 

Then at the Horn`s enliv`ning peal,
  Keen Sportsmen for the chase prepare;
Thro` the young Copse shrill echoes steal,
  Swift flies the tim`rous, panting hare;
From ev`ry straw-thatch`d cottage soars
  Blue curling smoke in many a cloud;
Around the Barn`s expanded doors,
  The feather`d throng impatient crowd. 

Such are thy charms! health-breathing scene!
  Where Nature`s children revel gay; 
Where Plenty smiles with radiant mien,
  And Labour crowns the circling day;
Where Peace, in conscious Virtue blest,
  Invites the Heart to joy supreme;
While polish`d Splendour pants for rest
  And pines in Fashion`s fev`rish dream.
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