L'Hiver.

The birds have flitted all away;
Winter with us forbad their stay:
For he his icy cloak hath wound
Our cities and our fields around
Gay glittering flowers, of his design,
All sparkling on my windows shine:
What blustering at my door he makes!
My dog — with cold see how he shakes!
My fire is slumbering in the grate;
Let's wake it, ere it be too late,
And warm ourselves!

O traveller! do not rashly roam;
Be prudent, and regain thy home:
Ay, from the crackling logs I know
More piercing still the cold will grow
I brave its rigor ne'ertheless;
Rose, in well-wadded, fur-lined dress,
Here bids me in herself behold
A genial shelter from the cold
Ah, Rose! thy hands will surely freeze;
Come, take thy place upon my knees,
And warm thyself!

The gloom is deeper — o'er the snow
The car of night is rolling slow:
Yes, Rose! our guardian Love must be,
Since day's decline we gladly see
But look! a couple comes this way —
A joyous friend — a beauty gay:
Enter without the watchword, both;
To see you Mirth is nothing loth;
Less cold there'll be than tenderness,
As round about the fire we press,
To warm ourselves!

The lamp at length, with tell-tale light,
Hath our caresses put to flight;
And now the feast prepared by Rose,
Merrily served, on table goes
As stories round the board prevail,
Our friend recounts a graphic tale,
Of brigand known in many a fray,
Or ghost, the terror of his day
Come, whilst the punch illumes the cup,
Bright from the flame that licks it up,
Let's warm ourselves!

Dark Winter! though thy icy flakes
For winding-sheet fair Nature takes,
Thy north wind, as it roars along,
Can bring no trouble to our song
Our fancy — thanks to Love, elate —
Can by the fire a world create;
Heaven kindly peoples it; and we,
Well stored with love, from want are free
Then closely fastened keep our doors,
And till her roses Spring restores,
We'll warm ourselves!