The Palm Tree

It waved not througli au Eastern sky, Beside a fount of Araby ; It was not fauue'd by southern breeze In souie great Isle of Indian seas, Nor did its graceful shadow sleep O'er stream of Afric, lone and deep. But fair the exiled palm tree grew" Midst foliage of no kindred bue ; Tbrough the laburnum's dropping gold Rose the light shaft of oriënt mould, And Europe's violets faintly sweet, Purpled the moss-beds at its feet. Strange look'd it there !- the willow stream'd Where silvery waters near it gleam'd ; The Mme-bough lured the honey-bee To murmur by the desert's tree, And showers of snowy roses made A lustre in its fan-like shade. Theve came an eve of festal hours - Rich music fill'd that garden's bowers ; Lamps that from flowering branches huug, On sparks of dew soft colors fluDg, And bright forms glanced - a fairy show - Under the blossoms to and fro. But one, a lone one midst the throng, Seeiu'd reckless of all dance or song ; He was a youth of dusky mieu, Whereon the Indian sun had been, Of crested brow, and long blaok hair - A stranger, like the palm-tree, there. And slowly, sadly, moved bis plumes, Glittering athwart the leafy glooms ; He pass'd the pale green olives by, Nor won the chestnut-flowers his eye ; But when to that sole palm he carne, Then shot a rapture through his frame ! To him, to hirn its rustling spoke, The silence of his soul it broke ! [t whisper'd of his own bright isle, That lit the oceaE with a smile ; Ay, to his ear that native tone Had soniething of the sea-wave's moan ! Sis mother's cabin home, that lay Where feathery cocoas fringed the bay ; The dashing of his brethren's oar, The conch-note heard along the shore : - All through his wakening bosora swept. [Ie clasp'd his country's tree and wept ! 3h ! ecorn him not ! - the strength wereby The patriot girds himself to die, The uuconquerable power, ívhich filis The freeman battling on his huls, These have one fomitain deep and oïear - The same whence gush'd the child-like tear !