Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1847-07-09
tFor the Free Press.l
The Death Of Sappho.

,rrr,s ,viiiphts dusky hour-that wtching time,
When rosy Day mprints her parting kiss,
And lmc'rinp whites, to Night resigns her sway.
The dome above now that placid look
Tha, stcale,h forth from starry lids scarce oped
For Phpbus' sist.r mild, with pity movd.
70 other lands less fair, far toward the North'
CHA, chilly cline, unblcss'd by Natures ove1
The grateful favor of her smile vouchsafd d.
Soft Evenings breath with perfume was as sweet
As are the groves Of that bright Lcsblan ISLE
That elj,ters gem like the oceans breast.
Near Cyclades broad wreath OF Sea av'd pearl
Nature seeu'd lulld in calm iorgctuIncss,
Vocal no more with melody nor mrti,
Nor tumult wild, oil restless, ploddng man.
The airy bird her joyous note had hushd,
And cen the insects hum monotonous,
Scarce dard the spell tobreak, that bound the hour
In magc's thral mysterious and dread
The noisy babbling brook was tnid too,
And smoke with accent WHISPERED and subdu'd,
To those bright beings of ETHEREAL mould
Floras own babes, so innocent and pure,
Tina, round her form their tiny arms encasp'd,
And in her beaming face gazd lovingly
Great Ocean, strongest Of Creations sons
unconqlerablc, unrepos'd, unrd,'
Great Ocean Gen. then felt holy calm,
And from his rugged brow cast off his frown
Such was the hour thus mild and beautiful,
That sole created secmd Tor love and prayer.
Fur deep and contemplatve revcric,
For all the sweet emotions OF the soul,
With siness Joy to hold companlonship,
And nestle tree, within her fond embrace
All! see light and sylph-ikc form gldes past.
In truth, it was as if vision bright,
From out the skies, to this our world were sent.
The ons.er. stroke the nicturp fair give
And make it thus the portralture OF llcavn.
Her snowy robe in graceful fold floats down,
Aud DER her beauty casts mant!ing shade.
As hcccy cloud athwar the suns red disk,
His noon tide radiance for a season wells.
Upon her archcd ncck's unilvard white,
And round her classic brow, the cbon cuGs,
Tho all unconscious of their bliss, rcpose,
And from her eye dark, gcam flashing fires.
AS bounding antelope her step is fleet,
And toward Lcucadia's height its pa,h-w bends
Leucadia's stormy height SO ferccly grand,
Tina, DER the broad blue in terror lowers.
What secret meaning wraps this being strange
Is she some wanderer from the Oympian scat
The awful mount where gods eternal dwell
And would she leave its Ear,hs Joys to taste I!
Her thirst to quench where sinful morals stoop!
1t may no, be- tho such belief were bliss
Nay then, perchance some child OF song she is,
With inspiration deep her soul en,ranc'd.
But list what sound is that intrudins thus
That CRATES SO harsh, and thrills thro ev'ry nerve,
Like note discordant mid the Tyres soft tone
And where, oh where, the lovely phantom now.
That scarce moment past proud homage claiin'd
VIVA, S; eek is that upon the deep afar,
That Goth the foam-cr wave cen now rcccdes !!
IT'S she It's she Yes, glorious Sappho,
Adopted child of fair Mnemosyne
And high imperial Jove the Muses. prde
The youngest one of that tamd siserhood;'
To Nep,unes briny realm thou wanderest.
In plying sea nymphs ear thy grieis to pour
Thy story sad of unrequited love,
That ,hro' thy heart the scorching iron transfxd.
And press'd its life blood out
Adieu unhappy one, for e'cr adieu!
And at thy fate may kindly tears be shed
C'''''.' f. r.
From the peculiar sweetness oil her verse, Sapp
has been called the tenth muse,