| |
| INDULGENT muse! my grov’ling mind inspire, | |
| And fill my bosom with celestial fire. | |
| |
| See from Jamaica’s fervid shore she moves, | |
| Like the fair mother of the blooming loves, | |
| When from above the Goddess with her hand | 5 |
| Fans the soft breeze, and lights upon the land; | |
| Thus she on Neptune’s wat’ry realm reclin’d | |
| Appear’d, and thus invites the ling’ring wind. | |
| |
| “Arise, ye winds, America explore, | |
| Waft me, ye gales, from this malignant shore; | 10 |
| The Northern milder climes I long to greet, | |
| There hope that health will my arrival meet.” | |
| Soon as she spoke in my ideal view | |
| The winds assented, and the vessel flew. | |
| |
| Madam, your spouse bereft of wife and son, | 15 |
| In the grove’s dark recesses pours his moan; | |
| Each branch, wide-spreading to the ambient sky, | |
| Forgets its verdure, and submits to die. | |
| |
| From thence I turn, and leave the sultry plain, | |
| And swift pursue thy passage o’er the main: | 20 |
| The ship arrives before the fav’ring wind, | |
| And makes the Philadelphian port assign’d, | |
| Thence I attend you to Bostonia’s arms, | |
| Where gen’rous friendship ev’ry bosom warms: | |
| Thrice welcome here! may health revive again, | 25 |
| Bloom on thy cheek, and bound in ev’ry vein! | |
| Then back return to gladden ev’ry heart, | |
| And give your spouse his soul’s far dearer part, | |
| Receiv’d again with what a sweet surprize, | |
| The tear in transport starting from his eyes! | 30 |
| While his attendant son with blooming grace | |
| Springs to his father’s ever dear embrace. | |
| With shouts of joy Jamaica’s rocks resound, | |
| With shouts of joy the country rings around. | |
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