TRUTH.

Otago Witness, Issue 1522, 8 January 1881, Page 23

TRUTH.

Gently rose the sun at morning, Beauteous earth with light adorning 1 , , Flowers smiling, rivers rolling, Light and shade through forest strolling. Wreathing mists round mountains rise, Canopied by crimson skies ; And warbling birds are soaring high, DiuJy seen against the sky. Passing vapours of the night, To dew-drops turn like pearls of light, As they fall, a-tinkling, dancing, Prom trembling leaves the water glancing, To trickling streams that are not seen, Obscured by Nature's evergreen ; Down the slopes in murmuring rills, A hollow in the woodland fills, Bound its banks tall palms arise, The willows droop, the soft wind sighs, The lilies and their fair-faced daughters Are bathing in the distant waters. O'er heaving breasts of gentle swells, Fairies ride in pearly shells, In poppy bells the elves lie sleeping, Or at the bathing lilies peeping ; (It is a fact those wicked elves With love and mischief 'muse themselves). Nestling fays creep 'neath the flowers ; On blue bells chime the passing hours. From her bed of flowers bright, Rose a beauteous child of light ; Bound her form a halo shone, Mild as moonbeam water on ; As she advanced with gentle pace, In innocence and child-like grace, Where'er she placed her little toes, Music from the earth arose ; List, in the air, a coo, a coo, A dove appears, the maid to woo, Flutters round in state unblessed , Till it nestles in her breast. The lark is soaring heavens high, To her pours forth its deepest sigh, Darting down, 'mid her sweet zone, Nestles there, makes it its home. Flying round in serial sweep, The little ring_ eye takes a peep, Bound again it takes another, Flies away to leafy cover. And flowers robed in brightest hue, Unto her their homage do, Some hold up their pretty faces, Some bow their heads like little graces. At the dawn of Nature's birth, This lovely being, from heaven to earth, Came man to save from mortal sin ; The perverse, she turned again — Like a gleam of morning light, Like a vision of the night, Like a spirit passed away — To heaven back she winged her way ; Up, up to spirit land she's flown, There amid a starry zone, She reigns where all the virtues meet In harmony, at her fair feet, Faith, hope, mercy, justice grand, Spirit guards of spirit land. The Universe of million orbs, Which man's finite mind absorbs, Grandly rolls enwrapped in thunder, Shedding light, though far asunder, From globe to globe, from pole to pole, Born of the great Almighty soul ; In space immense, eternal light, Pass 'neath her feet all starry bright, She reigns the universal soul, Her foot on time o'er all control, Serene and fair eternal youth, Her name, her name, is Lovely Truth. G. Bebby. Dunedin.