457. To the Evening Star

GEM of the crimson-colour’d Even,

Companion of retiring day,

Why at the closing gates of heaven,

Beloved Star, dost thou delay?

So fair thy pensile beauty burns

When soft the tear of twilight flows;

So due thy plighted love returns

To chambers brighter than the rose;

To Peace, to Pleasure, and to Love

So kind a star thou seem’st to be,

Sure some enamour’d orb above

Descends and burns to meet with thee!

Thine is the breathing, blushing hour

When all unheavenly passions fly,

Chased by the soul-subduing power

Of Love’s delicious witchery.

O! sacred to the fall of day

Queen of propitious stars, appear,

And early rise, and long delay,

When Caroline herself is here!

Shine on her chosen green resort

Whose trees the sunward summit crown,

And wanton flowers, that well may court

An angel’s feet to tread them down:—

Shine on her sweetly scented road

Thou star of evening’s purple dome,

That lead’st the nightingale abroad,

And guid’st the pilgrim to his home.

Shine where my charmer’s sweeter breath

Embalms the soft exhaling dew,

Where dying winds a sigh bequeath

To kiss the cheek of rosy hue:—

Where, winnow’d by the gentle air

Her silken tresses darkly flow

And fall upon her brow so fair,

Like shadows on the mountain snow.

Thus, ever thus, at day’s decline

In converse sweet to wander far—

O bring with thee my Caroline.

And thou shalt be my Ruling Star!