'WHO comes so gracefully Gliding along, While the blue rivulet Sleeps to her song; Song, richly vying With the faint sighing Which swans, in dying, Sweetly prolong?' So sung the shepherd-boy By the stream's side, Watching that fairy-boat Down the flood glide, Like a bird winging, Through the waves bringing That Syren, singing To the hushed tide. 'Stay', said the shepherd-boy, 'Fairy-boat, stay, Linger, sweet minstrelsy, Linger, a day.' But vain his pleading, Past him, unheeding, Song and boat speeding, Glided away. So to our youthful eyes Joy and hope shone; So, while we gazed on them, Fast they flew on; Like flowers, declining Even in the twining, One moment shining, And the next—gone! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...A PLANTATION BACCHANAL by JAMES WELDON JOHNSON LOVE IN AUTUMN by SARA TEASDALE IN THE SHADOWS: MY EPITAPH by DAVID GRAY (1838-1861) HOME, SWEET HOME, FR. CLARI, THE MAID OF MILAN by JOHN HOWARD PAYNE SYSTEM by ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON THE BANISHED LOVER by ABD AL-RAHMAN AL-MUSTAZHIR |