Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1831-03-15
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PRIZE POETRY
lowing article, wr,en by studeot Of William anc Mar
Poetry. Pail. Paper.
THE FOUNTAIN OF OBLIVION.
In an isis that lay
Distant Der ocean-fT
heyond tho western star,
Urdsr sky unknown,
All beautiful and lone.
II was fairy isle,
Where summers golden smile
Shines on forever uncbapgingy.
Oar its glittcrng vine-clad hills,
Greon valleys and cold linpid rils.
And tho encircling emerald ssa.
oh! there are spirits that dwell
In every wizard dell
Sweet forms that haunt each grottood fosnt,
Each fragrant vale and sunt mount,
Aud voices that whisper at eventids,
On the silver sands by the lone sea side.
There came youth to tho shore alone,
fila step was light-his air was froe,
And his gittering eye flashed Joyou''y-
He knelt him down on the prntlesss sand.
And ia the hollow Of his hand,
Dipped the clear wave, and DER stone,
A curious greyish stone, that stood
Just on the margin OF the GOOD,
lie spIinkled tho drops, and half sung, halEspoho,
In low faint tonc, that scarcely broke
Tho bush that hung round that wild shore,
The waters were sileatiy creeping DER
"Stars weeping
O'er the waves,
Wiads sleeping
IL their caves
Ills the hour,
Then como to me,
BY loves power
conjure thee
Quickly come
Unto me,
From thy coral home
Upder the sea-"
"Beautifu spirit
Hear my CALI
OCEAN! bear II
To her hall
Where she twines
Her yellow hair
By light that shines
From diamonds thero,
Bid her
Unto me,
From her coral homo
Under the sea-"
"Does she wait to deck
With gems her hair
Tell her nothing reck
OF Jewels rare,
Other than those eyes
So wildly bright
They dim the starred skies
With their purer light.
Oh! come to mo,
From thy coral home
Beneath the sea-
be paused, and sont stood
In listening attitude
His head beet forward, and his eye
Gazing with fixed intensity;
A low sad tone
Game DER the wavo
Like the winds faint moan
In n hollow cave,
Throughout the echoing archways signing,
Then IN mysterious whispers dying
And all calm and still again,
So still the place might be
The grave OF sound OH mournfuly
From the noiseess sands tho youth turned tbep
And slowly upward from the shore
His step retraced, with heavy heart,
And dimmng eye, those who part
With something much loved md cherished Of yoro.
Now OF the foot of mountain
In the silence and shadow no stood,
BY tho brink of tho charmed fountain
Whose dark and sullen flood
Doth bring forgetfulness To those
Whs drink its wave, OF oil their woes.
For thence he took
The magic flower
And three times shook
Its leaves Of power,
And u,uiterod the word
Which in cline
Hath not been heard
Since the birth of limo
This done, tits said,
IL the youth or the maid
OF thy heart he untrue,
The leaves will fade
And fall where they grew
BY this same ucver-eTring token,
That tho faith OF his ocean love was broken.
a mute surprise and grief The youth remained,
Gazing upon the stalk unleaved and bare,
Which still his hand unconsciously retained,
Then proudly tossed it on the green sward thers--
Thus said he, "fom my heart, false one, 1 cast
Tho memory Of thee and Of the past"
Tow DER the fountains brim he STOPPED to lave
lis eager lip in the oblyious wave;
Tut ere he had approached so near, his breath
Night esk the mirror sleeping calm beneath,
Ter image, 10 the beauty Of dream,
Between him and this waters seemed to swim,
|, nd memories which his heart uneon sci ously
lad gurnored up, came DER him hurredy,
n sweet succession, Jill his soul of feeling
Thrilled like hapsngs DER which the winds arc stealing
ie drew back, Undecided in dsmay,
And whene or he strove, tho vision smiled.
so he baiicd and beguiled,
Until at last no aud his way
Unhappy howsoe'er, he fanciod yet
Nougbt could SO joyously DO to forget
MORAL.
There must be something beautiful in wo
That springs from love, else what il it that makes
The heart cling TO its veriest so,
And will not part with them until il breaksy
indeed loves pleasure with its pain so blends
Like the warm sunset glow, aud mid heavens blue,
Ne canaot tell where Ooe begins ends,
Tho each so totally unlike in hue.
WIN. NJ. ROBINSON