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| ABOVE tall western hills, the light of day | |
| Shot far the splendors of his golden ray; | |
| Bright from the storm with tenfold grace he smiled, | |
| The tumult softened, and the world grew mild. | |
| With pomp transcendent, robed in heavenly dyes, | 5 |
| Arch’d the clear rainbow round the orient skies; | |
| Its changeless form, its hues of beam divine, | |
| —Fair type of truth and beauty’s—endless shine | |
| Around the expanse, with thousand splendors rare; | |
| Gay clouds sail’d wanton through the kindling air; | 10 |
| From shade to shade, unnumber’d tinctures blend; | |
| Unnumber’d forms of wond’rous light extend: | |
| In pride stupendous, glittering walls aspire, | |
| Graced with bright domes, and crown’d with towers of fire, | |
| On cliffs cliffs burn; o’er mountains mountains roll: | 15 |
| A burst of glory spreads from pole to pole: | |
| Rapt with the splendor, every songster sings, | |
| Tops the high bough, and claps his glistening wings: | |
| With new born green, reviving nature blooms, | |
| And sweeter fragrance freshening air perfumes. | 20 |
| Far south the storm withdrew its troubled reign; | |
| Descending twilight dimm’d the dusky plain; | |
| Black night arose; her curtains hid the ground: | |
| Less roar’d, and less, the thunder’s solemn sound; | |
| The bended lightning shot a brighter stream, | 25 |
| Or wrapp’d all heaven in one wide, mantling flame; | |
| By turns, o’er plains, and woods, and mountains, spread | |
| Faint, yellow glimmerings, and a deeper shade. | |
| From parting clouds, the moon outbreaking shone, | |
| And sate, sole empress, on her silver throne; | 30 |
| In clear, full beauty, round all nature smiled, | |
| And claim’d o’er heaven and earth, dominion mild; | |
| With humbler glory, stars her court attend, | |
| And bless’d, and union’d, silent lustre blend. | |
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