Now faintly smile day's hasty hours

I. Now faintly smile day's hasty hours,
The fields and gardens mourn,
Nor ruddy fruits, nor blooming flow'rs
Stern winters brow adorn.

II. Stern winter throws his icy chains
Encircling nature round:
How bleak, how comfortless the plains!
Late with gay verdure crown'd.

III. The sun withdraws his vital beams,
And light and warmth depart,
And drooping, lifeless, nature seems
An emblem of my heart.

IV. My heart, where mental winter reigns,
In night's dark mantle clad,
Confin'd in cold inactive chains,
How desolate and sad!

V. E'er long the sun with genial ray,
Shall chear the mourning earth,
And blooming flow'rs and verdure gay
Renew their annual birth.

VI. So, if my soul's bright sun impart
His all-enliv'ning smile,
The vital ray shall chear my heart;
'Till then, a frozen foil.

VII. Then faith, and hope, and love shall rise
Renew'd to lively bloom,
And breathe accepted to the skies,
Their humble, sweet perfume.

VIII. Return, O blissful sun, and bring
Thy soul-reviving ray;
This mental winter shall be spring,
This darkness chearful day.

IX. But while to this low world confin'd
Where changeful seasons roll,
My blooming pleasures will decline,
And winter pain my soul.

X. O happy state, divine abode,
Where spring eternal reigns;
And perfect day, the smile of God,
Fills all the heav'nly plains!

XI. Great source of light, thy beams display,
My drooping joys restore,
And guide me to the seats of day,
Where winter frowns no more.

Source: Poems on Subjects Chiefly Devotional, Vol. 2 #119