To Outer Nature

SHOW thee as I thought thee When I early sought thee, Omen-scouting, All undoubting Love alone had wrought thee-- Wrought thee for my pleasure, Planned thee as a measure For expounding And resounding Glad things that men treasure. O for but a moment Of that old endowment-- Light to gaily See thy daily Irisèd embowment! But such readorning Time forbids with scorning-- Makes me see things Cease to be things They were in my morning. Fad'st thou, glow-forsaken, Darkness-overtaken! Thy first sweetness, Radiance, meetness, None shall reawaken. Why not sempiternal Thou and I? Our vernal Brightness keeping, Time outleaping; Passed the hodiernal!