Classic Poem

Once more with Passion's lambent Fire,
Maria sweep the golden Wire;
Once more the lyric Grace assume,
The laurel Wreath — the starry Plume;
Young C LIO beams with lucid Ray,
And o'er Thee sheds poetic Day —
Yes — I will soar the rapid Flight,
Nor dazzled with the Flood of Light;
The lustrous Spheres of purest Space,
For Virgin Images I'll trace —
Gay Fancy, from whose brilliant Thought,
Attention's raptur'd Eye is caught,
Shall fling her Beauties o'er the Waste,
And charm with Ease and polish'd Taste:
While from chaste I DA 's sacred Bow'rs,
Where bloom the everlasting Flow'rs,
I'll pluck the fairest blushing Rose,
That never fading as it blows,
Shall deck my lovely Muse's Breast,
The glowing Seat of Harmony and Rest.
At Eve on Hougly's winding Side,
Attentive to the ripling Tide;
I trace the Moon serenely bright,
Pass in full Pomp the splendid Night;
Or mark th' elusive silv'ry Beam,
Flash faintly o'er the sapphire Stream;
Enraptur'd with the Scene around,
Methinks I tread on fairy Ground;
Ten thousand Elves in Sport advance,
And Fawns and Satyrs flit the Dance;
A fancied World, a sprightly Train,
Appear upon the Diamond Plain;
The Tritons blow their hoarse shrill Note,
And Mermaids on the Water float;
Amid the visionary Throng,
To Thee I raise the wizard Song: —
And Thou fair Syren of my Heart,
The wild Delusion still impart;
My Pow'rs with all thy Fervor trill,
And, oh! — dispense thy fascinating Skill!

Or if pure Morning's rosy Breath,
Should tempt Thee to the russet Heath;
Ere from his crimson-curtain'd Bed,
The Sun uncanopies his Head;
Oblivions of corrosive Care,
With Thee I'll drink the dewy Air;
With Thee o'er Nature's healthy Plains,
I'll lisp the Music of thy Strains;
And as the sparkling Glories fly,
In bright Effulgence from thine Eye,
The Rays of Genius I'll absorb,
And fix them in a fainter Orb: —
Thus cherish'd by the Muse's Fire,
I'll boldly sweep the trilling Lyre: —
And Gratitude , with Chaplet gay,
Wove by the graceful-finger'd May,
Shall bind my blooming C LIO 's Brow,
With this inscriptive hallow'd Vow: —
" While Health and Genius are mine,
" The Muse's Fane with Laurel I'll entwine " .