WRITTEN BY ELLEN LOUISA TUCKER SHORTLY BEFORE HER MARRIAGE TO MR. EMERSON

Love scatters oil
        On Life's dark sea,
Sweetens its toil—
        Our helmsman he.

Around him hover
        Odorous clouds;
Under this cover
        His arrows he shrouds.

The cloud was around me,
        I knew not why
Such sweetness crowned me.
        While Time shot by.

No pain was within,
        But calm delight,
Like a world without sin,
        Or a day without night.

The shafts of the god
        Were tipped with down,
For they drew no blood,
        And they knit no frown.
I knew of them not
         Until Cupid laughed loud,
And saying "You're caught!"
        Flew off in the cloud.

O then I awoke,
        And I lived but to sigh,
Till a clear voice spoke,—
        And my tears are dry.