Poems of William Cullen Bryant Author:William Cullen Bryant General Books publication date: 2009 Original publication date: 1914 Original Publisher: Humphrey Milford Subjects: American poetry Literary Criticism / Poetry Poetry / General Poetry / American / General Notes: This is a black and white OCR reprint of the original. It has no illustrations and there may be typos or missing text. Wh... more »en you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million books for free. Excerpt: But they who slew him -- unaware Of coward murderers lurking nigh -- And left him to the fowls of air, Are yet alive -- and they must die. 20 They slew him -- and my virgin years Are vowed to Greece and vengeance now, And many an Othman dame in tears Shall rue the Grecian maiden's vow. I touched the lute in better days, I led in dance the joyous band ; Ah ! they may move to mirthful lays Whose hands can touch a lover's hand. The march of hosts that haste to meet Seems gayer than the dance to me ; 30 The lute's sweet tones are not so sweet As the fierce shout of victory. TO A CLOUD Beautiful cloud ! with folds so soft and fair, Swimming in the pure quiet air ! Thy fleeces bathed in sunlight, while below Thy shadow o'er the vale moves slow ; Where, 'midst their labour, pause the reaper train, As cool it comes along the grain. Beautiful cloud ! I would I were with thee In thy calm way o'er land and sea : To rest on thy unrolling skirts, and look On Earth as on an open book j 10 On streams that tie her realms with silver bands, And the long ways that seam her lands ; And hear her humming cities, and the sound Of the great ocean breaking round. Aye -- I would sail, upon thy air-borne car, To blooming regions distant far, To where the sun of Andalusia shines On his own olive-groves and vines, Or the soft lights of Italy's clear sky In smiles upon her ruins lie. ao But I would woo the winds to let us rest O'er Greece l...« less