. . . th' approach of night
The skies yet blushing with departing light,
When falling dews read more

. . . th' approach of night
The skies yet blushing with departing light,
When falling dews with spangles deck'd the glade,
And the low sun had lengthen'd ev'ry shade.

The gloaming comes, the day is spent,
The sun goes out of sight,
And painted is the read more

The gloaming comes, the day is spent,
The sun goes out of sight,
And painted is the occident
With purple sanguine bright.

Beauteous Night lay dead
Under the pall of twilight, and the love-star sickened and
shrank.

Beauteous Night lay dead
Under the pall of twilight, and the love-star sickened and
shrank.

From that high mount of God whence light and shade
Spring both, the face of brightest heaven had changed
read more

From that high mount of God whence light and shade
Spring both, the face of brightest heaven had changed
To grateful twilight.

Night was drawing and closing her curtain up above the world, and
down beneath it.

Night was drawing and closing her curtain up above the world, and
down beneath it.

She bids you on the wanton rushes lay you down
And rest your gentle head upon her lap,
read more

She bids you on the wanton rushes lay you down
And rest your gentle head upon her lap,
And she will sing the song that pleaseth you
And on your eyelids crown the god of sleep,
Charming your brood with pleasing heaviness,
Making such difference 'twixt wake and sleep
As is the difference betwixt day and night
The hour before the heavenly-harnessed team
Begins his golden progress in the east.

Fair Venus shines
Even in the eye of day; with sweetest beam
Propitious shines, and shakes a read more

Fair Venus shines
Even in the eye of day; with sweetest beam
Propitious shines, and shakes a trembling flood
Of softened radiance from her dewy locks.

The west is broken into bars
Of orange, gold, and gray;
Gone is the sun, come are read more

The west is broken into bars
Of orange, gold, and gray;
Gone is the sun, come are the stars,
And night infolds the day.

The sunbeams dropped
Their gold, and, passing in porch and niche,
Softened to shadows, silvery, pale, and read more

The sunbeams dropped
Their gold, and, passing in porch and niche,
Softened to shadows, silvery, pale, and dim,
As if the very Day paused and grew Eve.