At times the mountain's shadow
Fell dark across the scene,
And veiled with veil of purple
The wavelets' silver sheen.
But for a moment only
The lake would wind, and lo!
The waves would near the glory
Of the sunlight's brightest glow.
At times there fell a silence
Unbroken by a tone,
As if no sound of voices
Had ever there been known.
Through strange and lonely places
We glided thus for hours;
We saw no other faces
But the faces of the flowers.
The shores were sad and lonely
As hearts without a love,
While darker and more dreary
The mountains rose above.
But sudden round a headland
The lake would sweep again,
And voices from a village
Would meet us with their strain.
Thus all the day we glided,
Until the Vesper bell
Gave to the day, at sunset,
Its sweet and soft farewell.
Then back again we glided
Upon our homeward way,
When twilight wrapped the waters
And the mountains with its gray.
But brief the reign of twilight,
The night came quickly on;
The dark brow o'er the mountains,
Star-wreathed, brightly shone.
And down thro' all the shadows
The star-gleams softly crept,
And kissed, with lips all shining,
The wavelets ere they slept.