"The Happiest Day - The Happiest Hour"

The happiest day, the happiest hour
My sear'd and blighted heart hath known
The highest hope of pride, and power,
I feel hath flown.

Of power! said I? yes! such I ween
But they have vanish'd long alas
The visions of my youth have been
But let them pass.

And, pride, what have I now with thee?
Another brow may even inherit
The venom thou hast pour'd on me -
Be still my spirit.

The happiest day - the happiest hour
Mine eyes shall see - have ever seen
The brigthest glance of pride and power
I feel - hath been:

But were that hope of pride and power
Now offer'd with the pain
Ev'n then I felt - that brigtest hour
I would not live again:

For on its wing was dark alloy
And as it flutter'd - fell
An essence - powerful to destory
A soul that knew it well

Alone

From childhood's hour I have not been
As others were- I have not seen
As others saw- I could not bring
My passions from a common spring
From the same source I have not taken
My sorrow; I could not awaken
My heart to joy at the same tone;
And all I lov'd, I lov'd alone.
Then - in my childhood- in the dawn
Of a most stormy life - was drawn
From every depth of good and ill
The mystery that binds me still
From the torrent, or the fountain,
From the red cliff of the mountain,
From the sun that 'round me roll'd
In its autumn tint of gold-
From the lighting in the sky
As it pass'd mr flying by-
From the thunder and the storm,
And the cloud that took the form
(When the rest of heaven was blue)
Of a demon in my view.

To F______S S. O_______D

Thou wouldst be loved? -- then let thy heart
From its present path part not!
From everything which now thou art,
Be nothing which thou art not.
So with the world thy gentle ways,
Thy grace, thy more than beauty,
Shall be an endless theme of praise,
And love - a simple duty.