A hundred times, by rock or bower, Some apprehension; Some steady love; some brief delight ; Some chime of fancy wrong or right; Or stray invention. 45 And all day long I number yet, To thee am owing; An instinct call it, a blind sense; A happy, genial influence, Coming one knows not how, nor whence, Nor whither going. 65 70 Oft on the dappled turf at ease I sit, and play with similes, Loose types of things through all degrees, Thoughts of thy raising: And many a fond and idle name I give to thee, for praise or blame, As is the humour of the game, While I am gazing. A nun demure of lowly port; Or sprightly maiden, of Love's court, 1 See, in Chaucer and the elder Poets, the honours formerly paid to this flower. 5 ΙΟ 15 Bright Flower! for by that name at last, I call thee, and to that cleave fast, 40 That breath'st with me in sun and air, 45 Do thou, as thou art wont, repair My heart with gladness, and a share Of thy meek nature! TO THE DAISY. BRIGHT Flower! whose home is everywhere, And all the long year through the heir Of joy or sorrow; Methinks that there abides in thee Some concord with humanity, Given to no other flower I see Is it that Man is soon deprest? 5 A thoughtless Thing! who, once unblest, IO Or on his reason, And Thou would'st teach him how to find A shelter under every wind, A hope for times that are unkind Thou wander'st the wide world about, Yet pleased and willing; In peace fulfilling. 15 20 WHEN TO THE ATTRACTIONS OF THE BUSY WORLD. WHEN, to the attractions of the busy world, Sharp season followed of continual storm In deepest winter; and, from week to week, Upon a hill At a short distance from my cottage, stands A stately Fir-grove, whither I was wont Here, in safe covert, on the shallow snow, 5 IO 15 20 25 Dwelt in a tranquil spot. And oftentimes, A few sheep, stragglers from some mountain-flock, Would watch my motions with suspicious stare, Some nook where they had made their final stand, 30 |