Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
England: Vols. I–IV. 1876–79. | | | | South Downs | | Sonnet to the South Downs | | Charlotte Smith (1749–1806) |
| | | AH, hills beloved!—where once, a happy child, | |
| Your beechen shades, “your turf, your flowers, among,” | |
| I wove your bluebells into garlands wild, | |
| And woke your echoes with my artless song. | |
| Ah! hills beloved!—your turf, your flowers, remain; | 5 |
| But can they peace to this sad breast restore, | |
| For one poor moment soothe the sense of pain, | |
| And teach a broken heart to throb no more? | |
| And you, Aruna! in the vale below, | |
| As to the sea your limpid waves you bear, | 10 |
| Can you one kind Lethean cup bestow, | |
| To drink a long oblivion to my care? | |
| Ah no!—when all, e’en hope’s last ray is gone, | |
| There ’s no oblivion but in death alone! | | | | |
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