Classic Poem

O summer night, O hamlet still,
Clear sky, soft perfumes, gurgling rill!
Ye lent a charm to my tender age;
Now that's all changed, my grief assuage
Sick of the world, relief I find;
All here my childhood brings to mind —
All — ay, the Will-o'-the-wisps to night,
That once with glimmering, dancing light
Had turned my steps in hasty flight
Ah, happy ignorance — mine no more —
Will-o'-the-wisps, dance, as of yore!

Tales of their mocking spite were told
In the long, long, winter-nights of old:
How that these meteors guarded fast
Wonders afield, and treasures vast
Ghosts and hobgoblins — demon fry —
Sorcerers and hags of evil eye —
These were the creed, in days gone by,
They taught me; whilst in fancy's view
Huge dragons round the turrets flew
But age has spoiled Illusion's reign —
Will-o'-the-wisps, dance, dance again!

One evening — I was scarcely ten —
Wandering — oh! how I trembled then —
I saw yon glimmer through the damp,
And hailed it as old Granny's lamp.
I knew a bit of cake was there;
And ran, and ran with joyous air,
Till shepherd's voice cried out " Beware!
That light, rash boy — no more advance —
Lights up a ball where corpses dance! "
Ay, 'tis of life an emblem true —
Will-o'-the-wisps, dance, dance anew!

Again by me, when just sixteen,
O'er the old Vicar's tomb was seen
That light: my words found sudden way,
" Your Reverence, for your soul I'll pray! "
When quick, methought, I heard him say,
" O hapless child, hath Beauty's school
Made thee, so young, a dreaming fool? "
That evening, taken by surprise,
I did believe in angry skies.
Oh, speak; I'll listen as before —
Will-o'-the-wisps, dance, as of yore!
In love with Rose the guileless-hearted,
A little gold had bliss imparted:
Lo! one of these same meteors lured me,
As though a treasure it insured me
I followed, bold — but, ah! I found
A pond was hollowed in the ground;
And tumbling in, crept out half-drowned
" Laughed not the goblins at thy fall? "
Methinks, I hear the witless call —
No — but Rose took a luckier swain —
Will-o'-the-wisps, dance, dance again!

My soul from thousand errors freed,
I'm old before my time, indeed:
Vapors, that but some moments shine,
See you 'tis bleached, this head of mine?
Sages perchance have oped my eyes;
But more I loved the morning's rise,
When less familiar with the skies
The torch of knowledge will destroy
Those darling sylphs, our childhood's joy;
Ah! that I still were scared by you —
Will-o'-the-wisps, dance, dance anew!