GOLDEN LEAVES. Anonymous. NEW ENGLAND'S ANNOYANCES. “THE FIRST RECORDED POEM WRITten in America.”—(1630.) New England's annoyances, you that would know them, Pray ponder these verses, which briefly do show them. HE place where we live is a wilderness wood, THE Where grass is much wanting that's fruitful and good: Our mountains and hills and our valleys below Being commonly covered with ice and with snow: But when the spring opens, we then take the hoc, And now do our garments begin to grow thin, Our other in-garments are clout upon clout: If fresh meat be wanting, to fill up our dish, We repair to the clam-banks, and there we catch fish. If barley be wanting to make into malt, Of pumpkins and parsnips and walnut-tree chips. Now while some are going let others be coming, Anne Bradstreet. CONTEMPLATION'S. (1650.) INDER the cooling shadow of a stately elm, UNDER Close sat I by a goodly river's side, Where gliding streams the rocks did overwhelm ; I, once that loved the shady woods so well, And if the sun would ever shine, there would I dwell. Nor is it rocks or shoals that can obstruct thy pace. "Nor is't enough that thou alone may'st slide, But hundred brooks in thy clear waves do meet : So hand in hand along with thee they glide To Thetis' house, where all embrace and greet. Thou emblem true of what I count the bestO could I leave my rivulets to rest! So may we press to that vast mansion ever blest. "Ye fish which in this liquid region 'bide, That for each season have your habitation, Now salt, now fresh, when you think best to glide, To unknown coasts to give a visitation, |