A VISION.

Night from her gloomy dungeon freed, Had chased the lingering light away, The landscape, clad in widow's weed, Mourned o'er the couch of dying day; Bright-shielded Mars, who leads the host That watch around God's burning throne, Placed sentinels on every post, Whose beaming eyes upon me shone! The tears of eve were falling fast, With diamonds spangling every flower, Whose gentle fragrance round was cast, Like incense in some Eastern bower. The wearied hind had left his plough To rest within its furrowed bed, And on full many a waving bough Was heard the night-bird's lightest tread. All else was still, save Nature's voice, That whispered 'mid the waving trees, And bade my lonely heart rejoice; While oft the playful evening breeze, Came o'er the moonlit Hudson's tide, And brushed it with its playful wing, As swift it hurried by my side, Perchance in angel's bower to sing. Afar the Highlands reared a wall, To keep the clouds from passing by, There, in a mass were gathered all, Impatient gazing on the sky; Where sister-cloud escaped was free, Sailing the heaven's blue ocean o'er, Like lonely frigate on the sea, That seeks some fair and distant shore. Where Summer's busy hand had wove A shady roof above my head, I sat me down and eager strove, To spy the rebel cloud that fled. I saw it soon, with wondering eye, Take to itself a female form, And hover toward me from on high, As fall the leaves in Autumn storm. Her dress was like the mantle fair Which Autumn to Columbia brings, And bids the moaning forest wear, With rainbow hues of angel's wings; Her voice was like the witching strain Which laughing streamlets gayly sing When Summer o'er the ripening grain Spreads wide her warm and golden wing. The rustling of her snowy wing Was like the music of the breeze, That seraphs mimic when they sing: 'T was sweet as when an organ's keys Are touched by angel's hand at night, When all the earth in slumber share, And glimmering grave-yard meteors light The church while spirits worship there. Softly she spoke—"Awake! arise! Thy doom is sealed, thou long must roam Where ocean surges wet the skies, And where the condor makes his home! Thou'lt gaze on many a cloudless sky, Where deathless Summer sweetly smiles, Like restless swallow thou shalt fly Where ocean's breast is gem'd with isles, "Thy feet shall track the forests wide, Like vast eternity unshorn, Where great Missouri's arrowy tide On pebbled couch is borne. But when the World's imperial brow Shall frown like wintry sky, Then seek my cloud-winged bark, and thou Shalt soar with me on high!" She paused and vanished—but her form In Heaven's blue lake I hail, When oft before the raging storm The clouds in squadron sail; And when the fleet can live no more, But in a mass are thrown, On the horizon's circling shore She skims the air alone!