Daily national Democrat., 1859-05-15
NO. 81.
DAILY 3(atlonal JlrmOerat.
For the National Democrat.
How / Came to be a Poet.

How Came TO be a Poet.
Wandering FORTH in dreamy mood,
through the forest. old and gray,
S!l Mhile Aurora's glttering tears
Gun Gun upon the wid-how'rs lay
SroWnlng all their emerald leaves
with diadem of spray.
And the bright birds songs Of NOR,
Through the leafy aisles were borne,
Merrlly ringing through the air,
Weakening echoes everywhere.
Musingly roamed along,
Throughout all the morning hours.
Needless still of wildbird song,
Sparkling brooke or twinkling fow'rsl
Seeing not the velvet ground,
Rising knoll or messy mound
For the thoughts within my brain,
Hall Of pleasure-halfOf Of pain
Shut out all the beauty round.
Warmer grew the summer sun,
Illl beneath tree, o'errun
With the clambering vine and flower
Forming thus natural bower
Gratefully sought the shade,
Thus by tree and grapevine made:
While, by the dews and sunshine kiss'd,
From the broad leaves of the tree
Like clust'ring knots of amethysts,
Peeped the ripe grapes, temptingly;
And the winds wild melody,
Answered to the silvery call,
Ola neighboring waterfall.
So pushed aside the vines:
When unto my startled sight,
Was reveal'd Il scene so fair,
That gazed in mute delight,
While each dewgemm'd bud and flower
Nestled in that shady bow'r
Wept, as if in vain despair,
The presence of a rival there.
For clad in dazzling robes Of white,
Reclln'd form so heavenly bright,
That to my 'tranced and wOndring eyes,
She seemed o being from the skies.
One small hand held some fresh culld flowers
The other lay beneath her head;
While DER her brow, IN golden showers,
Her hair seemed like mantle spread,
To guard her from the suns caress
And from her long and flowing dress,
One tiny foot peeped slyly out,
Till as you gazed there grew doubt,
If that small iOOt-s0 slight and fair
Were not u rose-leaf nestled there.
The violets, with timid glance,
Gazed at the maiden, half askance,
AS if they iain, by some surprise,
Would steal look within her eyes.
But dazzed by the radiant CLEAN,
That from the halfclOsed eyelids beam,
Start back, and trembling, hide their heads
Within their grass-entangled beds.
And downward DER her shoulders fair,
Sreamed careless curls of 'sunbright' hair,
But falling short, turned back, to kiss
Her cheeks full blooming l0veliness;
Whilst even a hummng-bird might sip
The nectar Of that ripe, red lip,
And think that "wee mou' partly clos'd
Were but freshly opening rose
In mingling CLEANS of light and shade,
The sunlight through the vine-leaves play'd1
Till those luxuriant curls unroled,
Seem'd turned to finest threads of gold,
And held in each soft, silken snare,
A captive sunbeam, trembling there.
So 'tranced was II had not spied
.SHy Cupid nesting by her side,
Until his swift, unerrlng dart
Transixed my poor, unguarded heart,
When startled, as through heart and brain,
ThrlPd the intoxicating fame,
(Which seem'd halfrapture, and half pain,
/ turn'd to see from whence itcame,
And saw the laughing uIchin glide
Behind a rose-bush, as to hide.
spoke,-when sweet as song of BIRDS
And silyery as the vesper chime
or bells in some far southern cline,
AS all my tnOugntS ran lntO WOTus-
Lo aUmy Words ran into Rhyme.
Come hither. cruel boyl' l cried.
The urchin FASTENED to my side,
And roguishly the rascal said
While round his dimpled lips smile,
Like sunshine round a rosebud, play'di-
If, with this tiny, quivering dart,
] fired with l0re thy burning heart,
1t also gave magic art,
Wherewith to WOO and win the maid
For since sweet Song, and sweeter Love,
Twin blossoms are in courts above,
II follows, if with wanton blight,
You seek the voice of Song to smother
Lore very soon will take its flight
ORe can't exist aeitt0ut the other.
And as they each from one source came
So 10th are launched from OHpid'S aim"
And so my whole life tends to prove;
As Cupid 5 darts are swift, and strong,
And each and all are tipped with LOVE
So Cupid's shaft is winged with SoNG!
IS ANGELES, May Sd, 1859. Ina.