EVENING STAR.

   ‘TWAS noontide of summer,
      And midtime of night,
   And stars, in their orbits,
      Shone pale, through the light
   Of the brighter, cold moon.
      ‘Mid planets her slaves,
   Herself in the Heavens,
      Her beam on the waves.

      I gazed awhile
      On her cold smile;
   Too cold-too cold for me —
      There passed, as a shroud,
      A fleecy cloud,
   And I turned away to thee,

      Proud Evening Star,
      In thy glory afar
   And dearer thy beam shall be;
      For joy to my heart
      Is the proud part
   Thou bearest in Heaven at night.,
      And more I admire
      Thy distant fire,
   Than that colder, lowly light.

1827.