Where oft he hums his rustic song
To his beloved maiden,
Resounding through the gorges deep
With bleat of sheep and oxen.

On Arvon's rock-bound shore doth break
The surge in fretful murmur,
And oft when stirr'd by tempest high
The ocean speaks in thunder,
Spreading through town and village wide
Dismay, despair and fear.

* * * * *

The sun is glorious when it breaks
The gloom of morning darkness,
Sweet are the leaves and flowers of May
Succeeding winter's baldness,
Yet fairer than the whole to me
Are Arvon's maids so guile-less.

If to the sick there is delight
To heal of his affliction,
If to the traveller's weary sight
Sweet is the destination,
Than all these sweeter far to me
The hills and dales of Arvon.

Had I the wings and speed of morn
To skim o'er mount and valley,
I'd hie o'er earth and sea direct
To Arvon's genial country,
And there in peace would end my days,
Far from deceit and envy.

TO THE SPRING.

Oh, come gentle spring, and visit the plain,
Far scatter the frost from our border,
All nature cries loud for the sunshine and rain,
For the howl of the winter is over.

Approach gentle spring, and show the white snow
Thou cans't melt it by smiles and caresses,
Chase far the cold winter away from us now,
And cover the fields with white daisies.

Oh, come gentle spring, alight on the trees,
Renew them with life and deep verdure,
Then choristers gay will replenish the breeze
With their songs and musical rapture.

Oh, come gentle spring, breathe soft on the flowers,
And clothe them in raiments of beauty,
The rose may reopen its petals in tears,
And sunbeams unfold the white lily.

TO THE NIGHTINGALE.

BY THE REV. JOHN BLACKWELL, B.A.

[The Rev. John Blackwell, B.A., whose bardic name was _Alun_, from the
river of that name was born at Mold, in Flintshire, in the year 1797, and
died in 1840, in the parish of Manordeivi, Pembrokeshire, of which he was
Rector. He participated much in the Eisteddfodau of that period, and his
poems gained many of their prizes. He also edited the "Gwladgarwr," or
the Patriot, a monthly magazine, and afterwards the "Cylchgrawn," or
Circle of Grapes, another magazine, under the auspices of the Society for
the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge. The subjects of this poet's
compositions were patriotic, sentimental and religious, and his poems are
characterised by deep pathos, and g