( 63 ) 

 VISIONS. 



I DREAMT that thou wert a beauteous dame, 



Who liv'd in the days of yore, 

 And I thought that a myriad of suitors came, 



And knelt thy charms before ; 

 Then I look'd on a brilliant tournament, 



And T heard the trumpet's strain, 

 And a number of gallant knights were bent 



To strive on the martial plain : 

 There was a laurel crown, and the favour'd knight 



Who bore that prize away 

 Might claim the hand of thy beauty bright, 



On the eve of that joyous day ; 

 And I thought that I was a warrior bold, 



And / won the laurel crown 

 'Twas dearer to me than a wreath of gold, 



At thy feet I laid it down. 



Again I dreamt and methought that I 



Was a proud young cavalier, 

 Who liv'd in the glance of his lov'd one's eye, 



And thou wert the one most dear ; 

 We dwelt in the sunny land of Spain, 



And a thousand gallants strove 

 The heart of thy virgin breast to gain, 



Yet thou gav'st to me thy love : 

 And I came to thy balcony's jutting shade, 



By the light of the moon and star ; 

 And I warbled a pensive serenade 



To my lightly-struck guitar : 

 I bore thee away in the dreamy night, 



To the holy altar's side ; 

 And there, in thy garments of snowy white, 



I made thee my blessed bride. 



I breathe to thy beauty my true heart's sigh, 



And thou seem'st, to my waking gaze, 

 As fair as thou wert to my dreaming eye 



When a nymph of the olden days ; 

 And I love thee as well as I lov'd in my dream, 



When I thought thee a maiden of Spain, 

 And sung, by the light of the starry gleam, 



To my sweet guitar the strain : 

 Though the dazzling pageants of vision have fled, 



The star of my dreaming is here ; 

 And though fancy's illusions around it were spread, 



'Tis as fair to my soul 'tis as dear : 

 If the spirit of life from my bosom should flee, 



And unto yon far heaven stray ; 

 Though bright as the heaven of my dream it should be, 



'Twould avail not if thou wert away. 



J. B. R. 



