THE MURDERED TRAVELLER. WHEN spring, to woods and wastes around, Brought bloom and joy again, The murdered traveller's bones were found, The fragrant birch, above him, hung Her tassels in the sky; And many a vernal blossom sprung, And nodded careless by. The red-bird warbled, as he wrought And fearless, near the fatal spot, But there was weeping far away, With watching many an anxious day, Were sorrowful and dim. They little knew, who loved him so, When shouting o'er the desert snow, 108 THE MURDERED TRAVELLER Nor how, when round the frosty pole The northern dawn was red, The mountain wolf and wild-cat stole Nor how, when strangers found his bones, And marked his grave with nameless stones, But long they looked, and feared, and wept, And dreamed, and started as they slept, For joy that he was come. So long they looked--but never spied His welcome step again, Nor knew the fearful death he died Far down that narrow glen. SONG OF THE GREEK AMAZON. I BUCKLE to my slender side And in my maiden flower and pride That paws the ground and neighs to go, I took him from the routed foe. My mirror is the mountain spring, It was for one-oh, only one- But they who slew him-unaware 110 SONG OF THE GREEK AMAZON. They slew him-and my virgin years Are vowed to Greece and vengeance now, And many an Othman dame, in tears, Shall rue the Grecian maiden's vow. I touched the lute in better days, Whose hands can touch a lover's hand. THE AFRICAN CHIEF. CHAINED in the market-place he stood, A man of giant frame, Amid the gathering multitude That shrunk to hear his name→ All stern of look and strong of limb, His dark eye on the ground:And silently they gazed on him, As on a lion bound. Vainly, but well, that chief had fought, He was a captive now, Yet pride, that fortune humbles not, Was written on his brow. The scars his dark broad bosom wore, Showed warrior true and brave; A prince among his tribe before, He could not be a slave. |