I.
Within a crystal riv’let bright,
Whose sides, with verdure crown’d,
From shelving banks reflected wide
The landscape bord’ring round,
II.
A WATER LILY peaceful rear’d
Her lovely, graceful head;
And on the gently-heaving stream
Her beauteous flow’rs were spread.
III.
Thence she beheld the banks with flow’rs
Of various kinds array’d;
And nodding trees, that far dispers’d
Their over-hanging shade;
IV.
For there the lofty Poplar grew,
Still mingling white with green;
And there the rustling Aspin too
With trembling leaves was seen.
V.
The Willow, nodding o’er the brook,
Drinks deep the stream below;
Cowslip and Primrose near at hand,
And purple Iris glow.
VI.
The LILY saw, and to the lake
Thus soft-complaining cry’d,
While gentle ZEPHYRS bore the sound,
Which spread from side to side:
VII.
“Ah hapless lot! while others bloom
“On yonder happy shore,
“Amongst their kindred tribes—my fate
“Here lonely I deplore.
VIII.
“Condemn’d amid this watry waste
“For ever to remain;
“Nor taste the joys which others know
“On yonder flow’ry plain.”
IX.
The GODDESS OF THE WATER heard,
And Anger mov’d her heart;
“How dar’st thou thus affront (she said)
“The Pow’r by which thou ART?
X.
“Those other trees and flow’rs thou see’st,
“ALL sprang from Mother Earth:
“And grateful tribute ALL return
“To Her who gave them birth.
XI.
“While thou, alas! should I withdraw
“The least of this my store;
“Shalt call on other Pow’rs in vain,
“And sink, to rise no more.
XII.
“Beauteous thou art, nor meanly priz’d:
“Then lay no blame on me;
“Nor seek what, though it others bless,
“Must surely ruin thee.
XIII.
“But still revere this facted truth,
“Whatever may betide;
“What Heav’n decrees is always BEST,
“And all is BAD beside.”