Ode to the River!—in thy glory bright,
Thou dost unfold thy silver path to me;
In sunny hours, thy sparkling waves invite,
And, in the storm, thy might sets me free.

In tranquil moods, around thee I will lean,
And on thy banks, breathe sweetly in the morn;
Yet tides of joy, or sorrow, intervene—
For every laugh, there’s one withered and worn.

• Charlotte Smith