| |
| O FAR away, and far away, | |
| The Happy Islands lie; | |
| In bluer seas of calm than these, | |
| Beneath a bluer sky. | |
| |
| The sea, a shining girdle, winds | 5 |
| Round cliff and cape and bay, | |
| With flash and gleam, and there they dream, | |
| O far and far away! | |
| |
| Upon a rim of sapphire sea, | |
| As some sweet girl might lean | 10 |
| Her breast of snow, my Islands glow, | |
| All exquisite and green. | |
| |
| The cliffs like shining ramparts rise, | |
| The golden beaches gleam; | |
| And thro’ the hills sing silver rills, | 15 |
| And cataract and stream. | |
| |
| Bright in a mist of leaves, on height | |
| And headland, waving high, | |
| The flame-flowers lean, and burn between | |
| Splendours of sea and sky. | 20 |
| |
| The still, bright forests, massed and green, | |
| Like painted woodlands glow | |
| In shade and shine; and belts of pine | |
| Climb up to meet the snow. | |
| |
| No burning drought with fevered breath, | 25 |
| Nor blight of bitter hail, | |
| Blackens the yield of fruitful field, | |
| Nor sears the flowery vale. | |
| |
| Ah me! my Isles! my Happy Isles! | |
| The Isles that nurtured me; | 30 |
| My heart is fain to cross again | |
| Those leagues of purple sea,— | |
| |
| To watch at sunset from the hills | |
| The headlands fade in mist, | |
| ’Mid changing glows, of gold and rose | 35 |
| And Bloom-of-Amethyst. | |
| |
| I tread to-day a sunless strand | |
| Under sad skies of grey, | |
| But summer smiles in my fair Isles | |
| So far and far away. | 40 |
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