A Dream Fulfilled

THIRSTING for bounteous Nature's ease
I spread my white sail to the breeze,
And through the crystal balm of morn
My airy birch was softly borne.

A blue league to the verdant west
Sleep on the Saint John's placid breast,
Like second Edens kindly lent,
The bosky Islands of Content.

All day their beauty was my own ;
And there, when deep-eyed night came down,
In rapturous dreams I viewed again
The glories of my bright domain.

I saw the dawn blow gold and red,
By fluted robins heralded ;
While over meadows starred with dew
Inspiring airs of nature blew.

Like silver gleaming, white like snow,
Rose-tinted in that throbbing glow,
The blue its drifting clouds displayed,
Dappling the fields with light and shade.

The wafted mist-wreaths, melting, shed
The scent of flowers which they had fed ;
And lakelets gleamed with lilies white,
And vales with buttercups grew bright.

The infinite secrets of the trees
Rustled unreadably in the breeze,
And through the brooding of my dream
Rang white-capped laughter of the stream.

I saw the grape-vine spreading o'er
The tangled thickets by the shore,
Where ferns and milk-weed, cherry spray,
And fronded sumachs cooled the day.

I heard the buzzing sea-like hush
Of wild bees in the willow bush,
And through the honeysuckle stirred
The sleep-song of the humming-bird.

The white gull soared with wings agleam,
The golden perch shone in the stream,
And on the weed-caught log the crane
Pecked at his captured shells again.

Through restful hours thus stole away
The perfect, consummated day ;
And in the sky, and in the stream,
I saw the sunset's glory gleam.

And ere the golden glow passed by,
The silvery moonlight filled the sky ;
Like sister angels kissing, they,
The waxing night and waning day !

Then with the setting of the sun
The circle of my dream was run,
And, half awake, the vision flown,
I felt the bondage of the town.

But recollection swiftly came :
I roused, and saw the east aflame,
And lo, before my raptured eyes
My dreams became realities !