The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1867-05-02

Poetry.
THE sKYIARK,

writer in the British Standard thus describes the
authOrsSs Of the lines given below:
Janet Hamilton is above the middle height Of wo-
men, al blind Of eye and half blind Of the other.
black silk handkerchief Is tied round the extinct
organ on her head she wears an unfashiOuabls but
lpOtlsSSy white Scotch muteh and she Is dressed In
unfshiOnable but neat clean gown Of Sobsr color
Her face excellent specimen Of the ongish and
best type Of Scottish features-high, we'll developed
forehead, with good breadth, handsomely shaped Ro.
maniHh nose, and flexible, expressive lips, and really
speaking mouth, and g chin Of that peculiar breadth
which s understood 70 indicate decision and vigor.
had seen her portrait aud read her poems, while in
Imagination had pondered much over the old woman
sioquentvctoriOus the countless ills of length.
ened and laboriOuG lls teaching herssfn old age
write In order that she might put on record thl
thoughts and aneles and irrepressbIs magnngr that
sought to be released from the bondage Of half cen
tury ofEilenee.
The lines were suggested BY the singing Of . Gagged
Ikylark, and the reader will discover that the Othsl
akylnrk iS Janet herus vho being nearly blind d "a
measure Gagged.
"sWsst minstrel Of the sumner dawn,
Band ofthe sky, DER lee end lawn
Thy rapturous snthem clear and loud,
RingI from the dim and dswy cloud
That UWutheu the brew Of infant morn,
Dame Natures hrst and fairs5t born.
From grassy couch I saw thee spring,
Aside the daiBy curtain cling,
Shake the bright dsWdropS from thy breast,
Preen thy soft wing, and smooth thy crest
Then, ell the bard within thee burning,
Heaven IN thine eys the dull earth spurninr,
Thou scared and sung, till lost on high,
In morning glOriss Of the Gkyi
Now wsrbllng at thine OWE sweet will.
Far up yon heaven kissing HILL
With quIvsring wing and HwsIling throat.
On waves of ambient air ahOAt-
Not 90 saw thee last, sweet bird;
I beard thoe-and my heart was stirred
Above the tumult Of q street,
Where smoke and SulphurOuS gaIsU meet;
Where, night and day, resounds the clamoF
OF Ghrieking steam, Of wheel and hammer
A Babel rude OF many a tongue
There, high DER head, thou blithsly sung,
Gagged, "cribbed, confined yet, full and clear
Az silver 6uts, fell sn my ear
The Summer flowers, the Autumn sheAves,
The purple hills, the running streams,
Where lingering memory broOdG and dreams;
But, never more-ahl never more
To climb the hill or tread the shore
With foot unttring, swift and free
I It may not-nsy, 1t cannot be,
Al! cannot be my eyes are dark,
A prisoner, too, like thee, sweet lark
But have sought aud found content,
And so our songs shall oft be blsut-
I singing In my hormiragop
Thou warbliBs in thy prison cage,
| Aspire thou to thine own blus shy,
1 to a loftier sphere on highi"
Thy joyous song ; a5 void Of sorrow
As when to bid the sun good morrow,
Just rising from his couch Of gold
Thou sung, and SCARED o'or mead and void.
Thy prison song, o bird beloved,
| Ny heart hath strangely, deeply moved,
IN reverie, waking dream
! Steals Ger my senses, and seem
( The Joyous girl that knew no care,
When fields green, and skisG vera fair.
And, sweetest OF the warbling throsg,
The thrilling, gushing voice of soBe
I seem TO heEr-Ah, tits the lark
That, mounting, sings at heareB's gate bSrkI
These rapturouS notes are all his OVID
Bard Of the sky, he sings alone
Sweet captive, let thy fate be mine.
I will not languish, will not pine;
Nor beat my wings against the wires,
| In vain re-retI and strong dssireh
To again, all blithe and free,
Through Natures baunts-again to see
The blooming, bright and beauteous thingS
} That in her train each season brings;
Springs bursting buds and tender lenTeE,