JT-20-ON WINTER.

ON WINTER.

Farewell, ye pleasant shades and blooming flow’rs,
Ye passing zephyrs and refreshing showers,
Farewell, ye plumy birds in mellow lay,
And all ye pleasures of a summer’s day.

Cold winter comes and nips with frost the bloom,
And shrouds the forests with a sullen gloom
He binds the mellow earth in icy chains,
And shakes his hoary locks and grimly reigns.

He comes in howling tempests, frosts and snow,
And swells his chilly blasts on all below;
He drives his northern storms along the sky,
And growls loud terrors as he passes by.

Dark clouds presage his giant presence near,
And forests loose the foliage of the year;
He binds the waters--flings his snows amain,
And drifts the mountain and the distant plain.

Beneath his steps a thousand insects die,
And skulking beasts unite a frighted cry,
His chilling breath makes nature’s beauties fade,
Despoils the umbrage of the bow’ry shade.
The songs are hush’d that thrill’d along the plain,
And flocks and herds lie down with sullen pain;
The summer birds have fled his chilling sway,
To chaunt their notes along in milder day;
The plains and forests mourn his frosty hand,
The feeble sun scarce peeps upon the land.
So shall the days of youthful sports be sped,
And wintry age shall whiten on the head,

No revel scenes to cheer the old man’s pow’rs,
But dull and cheerless drag his tedious hours;
The charms of earth now fading in his eye,
Bid him farewell, and far forever fly!