Poems (King)/When Winter Reigns
When Winter Reigns
YE poets who sing of blossoming spring,
And June with her rose-enwreathed bowers,
There are pleasures as keen in winter, I ween,
When the frost-king holds sway o'er the hours.
And June with her rose-enwreathed bowers,
There are pleasures as keen in winter, I ween,
When the frost-king holds sway o'er the hours.
On wings of the breeze he steals through the trees,
And breathes on the limbs, brown and bare;
Then branches rime-fledged toss blooms silver-edged,
And gleam in the sun-lighted air.
And breathes on the limbs, brown and bare;
Then branches rime-fledged toss blooms silver-edged,
And gleam in the sun-lighted air.
Where'er the eyes turn, lo! gems glow and burn
Like diamonds far hid in dark mines,
Or, as if baby stars had leaped their high bars
To be tangled and caught in the pines!
Like diamonds far hid in dark mines,
Or, as if baby stars had leaped their high bars
To be tangled and caught in the pines!
Those snow-wreaths that dream beneath the moon's beam,
A fleet of white shallops, pink-sailed,
Once over the blue of ether seas flew,—
From harbors of cloudland they hailed.
A fleet of white shallops, pink-sailed,
Once over the blue of ether seas flew,—
From harbors of cloudland they hailed.
But when night sounds the march through yon purple arch,
Of many a far-flashing sun,
Mere words are faint, faint, that splendor to paint—
The beauty-crown winter has won!
Of many a far-flashing sun,
Mere words are faint, faint, that splendor to paint—
The beauty-crown winter has won!