98 . The Happy Islands

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

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

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,

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.

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,

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;

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

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.