Nature

From The Spanish Of Villegas

by William Cullen Bryant 1794–1878

Translated by William Cullen Bryant · From Poetical Works, Household Edition (1880)

Nature

'Tis sweet, in the green Spring,
To gaze upon the wakening fields around;
Birds in the thicket sing,
Winds whisper, waters prattle from the ground.
A thousand odors rise,
Breathed up from blossoms of a thousand dyes.

Shadowy, and close, and cool,
The pine and poplar keep their quiet nook;
Forever fresh and full,
Shines, at their feet, the thirst-inviting brook;
And the soft herbage seems
Spread for a place of banquets and of dreams.

Thou, who alone art fair,
And whom alone I love, art far away.
Unless thy smile be there,
It makes me sad to see the earth so gay;
I care not if the train
Of leaves, and flowers, and zephyrs go again.

✦ ✦ ✦

Translated by Bryant from the Spanish of Villegas.

MLA

Bryant, William Cullen. “From The Spanish Of Villegas.” Translated by William Cullen Bryant. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/bryant/116/.

Chicago

Bryant, William Cullen. “From The Spanish Of Villegas.” Translated by William Cullen Bryant. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/bryant/116/.

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