Dramas Translations, and Occasional Poems. By Barbarina Lady Dacre.[i.e. Barbarina Brand] In Two Volumes |
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ALICE AND MARIAN:
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 | Dramas |  |
264
ALICE AND MARIAN:
A BALLAD.
The dewy hour was wearing late,
And from the upland field
The cows were lowing at the gate,
Their evening store to yield.
And from the upland field
The cows were lowing at the gate,
Their evening store to yield.
Sad Alice heeded not the sound,
Nor mark'd her feather'd care,
That throng'd, and peck'd, her foot around,
The wonted grain to share;
Nor mark'd her feather'd care,
That throng'd, and peck'd, her foot around,
The wonted grain to share;
And when, at length, the streamlets flow
Beneath her listless hand,
Wayward, she chides the patient cow,
Though motionless she stand:
Beneath her listless hand,
Wayward, she chides the patient cow,
Though motionless she stand:
And from her hazle eye down roll
Big tears upon her cheek,
While sighs, wrung from her inmost soul,
Its bitter anguish speak.
Big tears upon her cheek,
While sighs, wrung from her inmost soul,
Its bitter anguish speak.
265
“'Mong April buds his vows were made,
And ere those buds could blow,
His vows,” she cried, “were all betray'd,
And they are Marian's now.
And ere those buds could blow,
His vows,” she cried, “were all betray'd,
And they are Marian's now.
“I must forget that ere I heard
That voice so false, so dear!
Alas! how could I doubt his word,
While mine was so sincere?
That voice so false, so dear!
Alas! how could I doubt his word,
While mine was so sincere?
“I must not think how heavenly sweet
That smile would on me beam!
Too well I know it was a cheat,
And all I felt—a dream!
That smile would on me beam!
Too well I know it was a cheat,
And all I felt—a dream!
“It is with merry Marian now
He laughs from morn till noon;
But thy tears, cruel! thine may flow
Ere wane the harvest moon!
He laughs from morn till noon;
But thy tears, cruel! thine may flow
Ere wane the harvest moon!
“Though Marian's frolic mirth so gay
The sultry hay-field cheer,
Say, when the short, cold, sunless day
Shall close the parting year,
The sultry hay-field cheer,
Say, when the short, cold, sunless day
Shall close the parting year,
266
“Will her gay smile then beam as bright,
And beam for only thee?
Will winter's toils to her seem light
As they had seem'd to me?
And beam for only thee?
Will winter's toils to her seem light
As they had seem'd to me?
“Say, will she trim thy evening hearth?
Duteous thy meal prepare?
Nor know—nor dream—a bliss on earth,
Save but to see thee there?
Duteous thy meal prepare?
Nor know—nor dream—a bliss on earth,
Save but to see thee there?
“I too with laughter will beguile
My bosom's secret smart—
And I could laugh—but that his smile
Still hangs about my heart.
My bosom's secret smart—
And I could laugh—but that his smile
Still hangs about my heart.
“These silly tears! they shall not tell
Gay Marian all my woe;”
But as she speaks they bigger swell,
And down her pale cheek flow.
Gay Marian all my woe;”
But as she speaks they bigger swell,
And down her pale cheek flow.
“I will avoid,” she cries, “the
shade
Where first he told his pain,
The stile where his false vows were made
I ne'er will see again.
Where first he told his pain,
The stile where his false vows were made
I ne'er will see again.
267
“And when I drive my cows afield
I will go round a mile;
For as I once, so Marian now
Fond loiters by that stile.”
I will go round a mile;
For as I once, so Marian now
Fond loiters by that stile.”
Yet heedless of the new-made vow
Of love's relenting wrath,
Behind her cows, sad pacing slow,
She winds the wonted path.
Of love's relenting wrath,
Behind her cows, sad pacing slow,
She winds the wonted path.
She shudder'd as the beach-tree flung
O'er her its lengthen'd shade;
Shudder'd, for there, fond loitering, hung
Marian, the laughing maid!
O'er her its lengthen'd shade;
Shudder'd, for there, fond loitering, hung
Marian, the laughing maid!
The false one, too, hard by she watch'd,
Among the copse-wood glide;
A trembling hope poor Alice snatch'd—
“He is not by her side!”
Among the copse-wood glide;
A trembling hope poor Alice snatch'd—
“He is not by her side!”
Thus Love the faithful bosom wings
With every jealous care!
Thus Hope to some vain shadow clings
Ere all be blank despair!
With every jealous care!
Thus Hope to some vain shadow clings
Ere all be blank despair!
268
Alice, her bosom's peace thus lost,
The long sad summer pined,
And now the yellow leaves are tost
By every gust of wind.
The long sad summer pined,
And now the yellow leaves are tost
By every gust of wind.
The hoar frost glitters in the morn,
The evening closes chill;
The fields are bare where waved the corn,
And clouds hang o'er the hill.
The evening closes chill;
The fields are bare where waved the corn,
And clouds hang o'er the hill.
For gayer scenes the laughing maid
Forsook the sadden'd plain,
And he, the faithless one, repaid
Poor Alice pain for pain.
Forsook the sadden'd plain,
And he, the faithless one, repaid
Poor Alice pain for pain.
| Dramas | |