Now fall the last drops of the shower,
And sunshine rests on every hill;
The liquid diamonds in each flower
Their cups with trembling radiance fill.
Lo! from Apollo's golden light
The fertilizing vapours fly,
And reappears in splendour bright
The calmly lustrous sky.
A clearer azure paints the robe
Spread gloriously on high;
A fresher verdure decks the globe
That far beneath doth lie.
How glad and sweet the murmurings
That from blue streams ascend,
While around cool shade the woodland flings
As its boughs to the waters bend.

But now the clouds with densest gloom
Have gather'd in the north,
And methinks I hear the thunders boom
From their dark recess roll forth.
Hushed in heaven and hushed in earth
Every sound of joy and mirth;
For upon that mighty cloud,
Huge and black as Nature's shroud,
Faint appears a vision fair
Pil'd upon the ambient air;
From its darkness breathes a light,
Softly lustrous, dimly bright.
More distinct the glory grows:
Lo! a shade of light it throws,
And upon the vaulted skies
Now a second arch doth rise.

And as they span the heavens,
Each gleaming like a star,
They seem as some fair vision
That cometh from afar,

With transitory light
Flashing on our mortal sight,
And upon our slumbers stealing,
Strangest scenes in sleep revealing;
At the dawn of daylight, flies
Swift before the opening eyes,
Scarce leaving mem'ry's shade,
As away they flit and fade.
Never they return again;
Now I close my lightsome strain.