What life like that of the bard can be -- <br />The wandering bard, who roams as free <br />As the mountain lark that o'er him sings, <br />And, like that lark a music brings, <br />Within him, where'er he comes or goes -- <br />A fount that for ever flows! <br />The world's to him like some playground, <br />Where fairies dance their moonlight round; -- <br />It dimm'd the turf where late they trod; <br />The elves but seek some greener sod; <br />So, when less bright his scene of glee, <br />To another away flies he! <br /> <br />Oh, what would have been young Beauty's doom <br />Without a bard to fix her bloom? <br />They tell us, in the moon's bright round, <br />Things lost in this dark world are found; <br />So charms, on earth long pass'd and gone, <br />In the poet's lay live on. -- <br />Would you have smiles that ne'er grow dim? <br />You've only to give them all to him, <br />Who, with but a touch of Fancy's wand, <br />Can lend them life, this life beyond. <br />And fix them high, in Poesy's sky -- <br />Young stars that never die! <br /> <br />Then welcome the bard where'er he comes, <br />For, though he hath countless airy homes, <br />To which his wing excursive roves, <br />Yet still, from time to time, he loves <br />To light upon earth and find such cheer <br />As brightens our banquet here. <br />No matter how far, how fleet he flies, <br />You've only to light up kind young eyes, <br />Such signal-fires as here are given-- <br />And down he'll drop from Fancy's heaven, <br />The minute such call to love or mirth <br />Proclaim's he's wanting on the earth!<br /><br />Thomas Moore<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-wandering-bard/
