My first was dreary, cold, and dark
As I left my second's door,.
The sky showed not one diamond spark,
And I heard no sound but the watch-dog's bank
As l wandered the wild heath o'er.
In a lonely spot I chanced to be
When my third came fiercely on ;
He tore my cloak and hat from me,
And drove me under an old dead tree,
And left me there alone.
Then swiftly the dark clouds passed away,
And the silver moon did fling
On my path once more her gentle ray,
And my whole began from the greenwood spray
Her blithsome caroling.
*** Originally appeared in "The Casket" on December 1829,
This riddle paints a vivid picture of a journey through adversity and eventual tranquility. As I read through its verses, I couldn't help but feel the chill of the dreary night described in the beginning, with its cold darkness and eerie silence broken only by the distant howl of a watchful dog. The sudden onset of the third, more aggressive element added a sense of peril, stripping away protection and leaving the protagonist vulnerable under an old tree. Yet, just as swiftly as the storm arrived, the scene shifts dramatically. The clearing skies reveal a serene moonlit landscape, where nature's beauty and the joyful song of birds signal a new
capstone writing services beginning. This journey from darkness to light, from isolation to harmony, reflects the enduring human spirit and the resilience found in nature's cycles.
READER
