William LEIGHTON
fabricant de verre et poète américain
Cambridge (États-Unis) 22 juin 1833
Wiesbaden (Allemagne) 10 février 1911
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The cloud
I saw a little lonely cloud
Hung on the western verge of heaven ;
In twilight's earliest beams it glowed,
And mirrowed back the blush of even;
No other cloud was in the sky,
It lay in lonely witchery.
The twilight deepened : one by one
The pale stars trembled through the haze :
The golden light of eve was gone,
And gone the sunset's lingering blaze;
Yet still that little cloudlet lay
In mellow beauty, softly gay.
A silence brooded far and nigh,
A stillness burdened all the air,
And the wide welkin stretched on high
In dusky azure everywhere, —
Save that one spot, where, earthward bowed,
Stooped down the solitary cloud.
It looked so lovely as it lay
Becalmed upon the waveless blue!
Its border melting, faintly gray,
Into the sky's diviner hue;
And yet, I know not how nor why,
It brought the tear-drop to my eye!
And ever when I think upon
That cloud on the horizon's rim,
Brooding in beauty, rich and lone —
My heart is sad, my eyes grow dim !
And I could long to fly away
To where the little cloudlet lay!
'Tis ever thus! the spirit pants
For all things peaceful, fair, and sweet;
For joys that leave no aching wants;
For bliss that is not incomplete !
But all these yearnings vague and fond
Must anchor in the great Beyond!