The prairie news. [volume] (Okolona, Miss.) 1851-1875, 1859-05-05
POE eE'IsY. /.
tFor The Prairie News.
AN OFFERlNG.

o ye who sit enthroned in Song sbrght Heaven
Star crowned, Immortal yet all Human still
Ye unto whom richly 1t is given
To find all summer harmonies at will,
l call to you from this, my house of sorrow,
But not for that would invoke your tears,
That sad heart might those few sparkes borrow,
To CLEAN upon the crown of thorns it wears
Oh not for this my voice would rise to reach you,
Not, not in tears would to You appeal,
But that ye pass indugently, bcseech you
The dissonancc your ear is quick to feel
And still to say, you here may learn how echos
Your own sweet music in this forest land,
Played to the free winds while the wild bough ieckers
With waving shadow my ready hand
And marvel not, such ftfu notes and broken
Respond to warblings long unhedged by you,
Alas the words could but through sobs be spoken,
Though claiming utierance as their need and due;
The "yearnng to the Beautiful denied us
win find expression or in art or in song,
VIII seek communion though the world "dcride us
With souls to whom that beauty doth belong
The perishng "moih's'' imperishable desire
To clasp the star" that brightly beams above,
The wish thro which Heaven winged souls aspire
TO win to ccrcmcnts the forms they love.
The moth in Dea.a the nmeasurablc wish surrenders
When writhing in some patry tapers beams
And mine may lead--liSc Highways of false splendors
Through which the soul goes far asiray in dreams
But to grave--stiil the wish would CHERISH
Sill look up wistfuy to stars above
Obey the impulse, though do but perish,
And spring from cerements to what love.
But not to claim place where you are shining,
For Care my brow hath all deeply sealed
That If among you, would sit repinng,
And turn to shadow for a screen and shield
And ahl such deep, and such enduring tarnish
Her touch doth leave, that any passer by
Through each fond subterfuge and playful garnish,
May see the tear stained check and fadcd eye
Not If like yours my heart were warm and living,
Could to others Of such suffering speak
But am dedd--the grave knows no deceying,
And careth little human praise to seek
Pardon, oh pardon would not detain you,
Thus planting minors, chord outworn,
Whose only purpose is to chill aud pain yon,
With queruous murnurs of fate forlorn,
But would say il Israfl no blessing,
Hath lent to this poor cithern that is mine,
1t yet hath felt the South Winds breath earessing
Ana caught iiltlTlnire from tilc PihVi
And while faltcring prelude It shall sing you
place these faded blossoms in your hand,
All marvel not if each poor leafet bring you
The airs that withered ere they could expand;
Would could protfer sweetcr, fairer blossoms,
Pendent and dewy from some "Purc Iippec vase"
That not unworthily upon your boson.s,
As in home congenial ye might place,
Oh sweetcr wliiter, would garland rather,
Taking from Southern Suns no CANDY dyes,
But fresh and pure foam-wreahs are, thai gather
On wells whose fountains are our sumner skies.
These grew in pathways bordering inc Desert,
Swept by Siroeeos Of despair ami srorn,
They came to soothc when all thai most treasured
To distance and estrangemcnt Were ortborne,
So their imperfect buds perehanee are dearcr
Than If they unto fuller bloom had grown,
So their pale cheeks have fingered longer nearer,
Than else they would have done upon my own.