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Rarely,
rarely, comest thou,
Spirit of Delight!
Wherefore
hast thou left me now
Many a day and night?
Many a
weary night and day
'Tis since thou art fled away.
How shall ever one like me
Win thee back again?
With the joyous and the free
Thou wilt scoff at pain.
Spirit false! thou hast forgot
All but those who need
thee not.
As a lizard with the shade
Of a
trembling leaf,
Thou with sorrow art dismayed;
Even the sighs of grief
Reproach thee, that thou art
not near,
And reproach thou wilt not hear.
Let
me set my mournful ditty
To a merry measure;
Thou
wilt never come for pity,
Thou wilt come for
pleasure; -
Pity then will cut away
Those cruel
wings, and thou wilt stay.
I love all that thou
lovest,
Spirit of Delight!
The fresh Earth in new
leaves dressed,
And the starry night;
Autumn
evening, and the morn
When the golden mists are born.
I love snow and all the forms
Of the radiant
frost;
I love waves, and winds, and storms,
Everything almost
Which is Nature's, and may be
Untainted by man's misery.
I love tranquil
solitude,
And such society
As is quiet, wise, and
good: -
Between thee and me
What diff'rence? but
thou dost possess
The things I seek, not love them
less.
I love Love -though he has wings,
And
like light can flee,
But above all other things,
Spirit, I love thee -
Thou art love and life! O come!
Make once more my heart thy home!
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