Flowers amid lava grew! and rich, and glad
Today the scenes on every side impart
The towns and villages, which others hide
That stood as happy there a former day;
Those now that flourish built up by the side
Of some forgotten that have pass’d away.
At length I came where we the walls descry
Of the deserted city, which the abode
Proclaim’d it was of men in times gone by;
Their sepulchres stood bordering the road!