Dramas Translations, and Occasional Poems. By Barbarina Lady Dacre.[i.e. Barbarina Brand] In Two Volumes |
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252
WILLIAM AND SARAH:
A BALLAD.
Mark yon low roof beside the road!
Old William, blind and poor, lived there,
And Sarah, bow'd beneath the load
Of age, and sickness, want, and care.
Old William, blind and poor, lived there,
And Sarah, bow'd beneath the load
Of age, and sickness, want, and care.
When suffering most she breathed no groan,
But spoke with cheerful utterance still,
Thankful for blessings she had known,
For William's sake she welcomed ill.
But spoke with cheerful utterance still,
Thankful for blessings she had known,
For William's sake she welcomed ill.
And still it was her nightly prayer
To live to close his sightless eyes;
For this her torturing pains to bear,
Then sink in death ere morning rise.
To live to close his sightless eyes;
For this her torturing pains to bear,
Then sink in death ere morning rise.
253
“For who, when Sarah is laid low,
Will be,” she said, “poor William's friend?
Who spread his board, who smooth his brow?
Who on his wayward age attend?
Will be,” she said, “poor William's friend?
Who spread his board, who smooth his brow?
Who on his wayward age attend?
“Ah! who th' uncertain staff will guide
With which he feels, amiss, his way?
And careful lay the stone aside
That might his tottering footstep stay?
With which he feels, amiss, his way?
And careful lay the stone aside
That might his tottering footstep stay?
“Who lead him to the shelter'd stile
That fronts the sun at noontide hour?
And watch the western clouds the while
To warn him of the gathering shower?
That fronts the sun at noontide hour?
And watch the western clouds the while
To warn him of the gathering shower?
“When thunders roll above our head,
And the storm rocks our humble wall;
Then helpless blindness shrinks with dread,
Though nought the conscience pure appal!
And the storm rocks our humble wall;
Then helpless blindness shrinks with dread,
Though nought the conscience pure appal!
“Who then, his listening ear to cheat,
Shall name our children far away,
And wake each recollection sweet,
Till they in thought around him play?
Shall name our children far away,
And wake each recollection sweet,
Till they in thought around him play?
254
“A smile faint-stealing o'er his cheek,
His eye-balls then in vacant space
Will seem each cherub face to seek,—
On memory stampt a cherub face,—
His eye-balls then in vacant space
Will seem each cherub face to seek,—
On memory stampt a cherub face,—
“For thirty years have o'er them roll'd,
Since my good man our girls could see;
Our sons have thirty harvests told
Since rosy boys around his knee;
Since my good man our girls could see;
Our sons have thirty harvests told
Since rosy boys around his knee;
“And want, and time, have, on each brow,
For smiles deep lines of care portray'd,
And cherub faces round them now
So bloom,—and so are doom'd to fade!
For smiles deep lines of care portray'd,
And cherub faces round them now
So bloom,—and so are doom'd to fade!
“Ah! none but Sarah can retrace
Each snatch of joy he e'er has known!—
E'en on the fallow's barren space,
A wild flower here and there has blown!
Each snatch of joy he e'er has known!—
E'en on the fallow's barren space,
A wild flower here and there has blown!
“Then be it still my nightly prayer,
To live to close his sightless eyes,
For this my torturing pains to bear,
Then sink in death ere morning rise!”
To live to close his sightless eyes,
For this my torturing pains to bear,
Then sink in death ere morning rise!”
255
With steadfast hope, and faith serene,
The humble prayer of duteous love,
Pour'd ardent forth, in anguish keen,
Was heard, where mercy rules above!
The humble prayer of duteous love,
Pour'd ardent forth, in anguish keen,
Was heard, where mercy rules above!
Old William, drooping, softly dosed,
And without pain resign'd his breath;
His sightless eyes poor Sarah closed,
And, grateful, sunk ere morn in death.
And without pain resign'd his breath;
His sightless eyes poor Sarah closed,
And, grateful, sunk ere morn in death.
Worthy, Oct. 1809.
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