LITTLE MAID-O’ -DREAMS

Little Maid-o’ - Dreams, with your

Eery eyes so clear and pure

Gazing, where we fain would see

Into far futurity,—

Tell us what you there behold,

In your visions manifold!

What is on beyond our sight,

Biding till the morrow's light,

Fairer than we see to-day,

As our dull eyes only may?

Little Maid-o’ - Dreams, with face

Like as in some woodland place

Lifts a lily, chaste and white,

From the shadow to the light;—

Tell us, by your subtler glance,

What strange sorcery enchants

You as now,— here, yet afar

As the realms of moon and star?—

Have you magic lamp and ring,

And genii for vassaling?

Little Maid-o’ - Dreams, confess

You're divine and nothing less,—

For with mortal palms, we fear,

Yet must pet you, dreaming here —

Yearning, too, to lift the tips

Of your fingers to our lips;

Fearful still you may rebel,

High and heav'nly oracle!

Thus, though all unmeet our kiss,

Pardon this!— and this!— and this!

Little Maid-o’ - Dreams, we call

Truce and favor, knowing all!—

All your magic is, in truth,

Pure foresight and faith of youth —

You're a child, yet even so,

You're a sage, in embryo —

Prescient poet — artist — great

As your dreams anticipate.—

Trusting God and Man, you do

Just as Heaven inspires you to.