WITHIN a vale, each infant year, When earliest larks first carol free, To humble shepherds doth appear A wondrous maiden, fair to see. Not born within that lowly place— From whence she wander'd, none could tell; Her parting footsteps left no trace, When once the maiden bade farewell. And blessèd was her presence there— Each heart, expanding, grew more gay; Yet something loftier still than fair Kept man's familiar looks away. From fairy gardens, known to none, She brought mysterious fruits and flowers — The things of some serener sun— Some Nature more benign than ours. With each, her gifts the maiden shared— To some the fruits, the flowers to some; Alike the young, the aged fared; Each bore a blessing back to home. Though every guest was welcome there, Yet some the maiden held more dear, And cull'd her rarest sweets whene'er She saw two hearts that loved draw near. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...OF ANY OLD MAN by ISAAC ROSENBERG BALLADE OF WENCHES by FRANCOIS VILLON A DREAM OF FAIR WOMEN by ALFRED TENNYSON LINES TO BE SPOKEN BY THOMAS DENMAN.....WHEN FOUR YEARS OLD by ANNA LETITIA BARBAULD THE METAMORPHOSIS OF THE WALNUT-TREE OF BOARSTELL: CANTO 2 by WILLIAM BASSE THE SINNER by MARGARET E. BRUNER HYMN 3. ARTEMIS VISITS THE CYCLOPES by CALLIMACHUS |