THE mountain frowns black to the battling storm. He bristles his bayonet-pines to dare The flashing, charge of the wrathful air. But yet the sunlight, cheery and warm, Kindling the darkness, paling the glare, Tells that the fierce warring foe will deform The scene little longer, but, shorn of his sway, Breaking and dwindling, will vanish away. While, scattered like stars in the glancing glow, Lilies gleam out from the lake’s deep gloom; And trees rich chequer of shadow throw Where wild birds warble and wild flowers bloom, And waterfalls tinkle in foamy flow. Symbol of life in its shadow and sheen! Even when sorrow is shading the heart, Hope’s ray cheerily dances between, Telling the tempest will soon depart. Symbol of thee, with the lake of thy tears, Oh land, and thy mountain of strife and of sorrow! But bright through the battle-rack Hope appears, Smiling in promise of golden morrow. [Illustration] THE RAPIDS. HO, the headlong rapids How they rush and rave, Roaring through the forest Like the stormy wave! How the curbless war-steeds Frenzied leap and strain! See the frantic war-steeds Toss their flashing mane! Brief the noontide thunder! Brief the lightning’s ray! Ever rolls the bolt here, Ever gleams the spray! Woe, the crossing panther, Woe, the drinking deer, Should the monster grasp them With his fangs of fear! See the shattered pine-trees How they lean and rock, As the bounding surges Beat with endless shock! Dashing, tearing, tumbling, Down the surges go! Ho, the tusks of granite How they champ the snow! [Illustration] THE SHALLOW. I LOVE the little shoal, the sandy shallow of the lake, Where towers the azure moosehead, glows the crimson Indian pink; Where proudly sails the golden-footed, purple-pinioned drake, And the yellow-throated, gem-eyed frog stares, hours, upon the brink! There the darning-needle crooks among the rushes bristling round, The brassy deer-fly plants its tingling arrow in the skin; The water-soldier’s helmet shines, the eel-grass rich is wound In wavy floss of floating plumes to every stir within. The sunlight, piercing downward, shows the shadows in their play Mottling the amber ooze, and there the water-beetles glance; There twist the gleamy, sunken twigs, the red-fin glistens gay, The spring uptwirls its glittering grains in endless circling dance. And there the moon-white lily spreads her nightly-hiding cup, The sun-hued sister glows upon her pedestal of green; There glides the muskrat’s spotty head, bright air-bells bubble up, And there the little shiner casts its flash of silver sheen.