 | [Poems by Hoffman in] Charles Fenno Hoffman |  |
298
A SYBILLINE LEAF
Thou askest thy Fate? No Astrologer I,
To read what they tell us is writ in the sky—
Yet thy Fortune sweet Ella I know I can trace
While the lore of the heavens I read in thy face.
To read what they tell us is writ in the sky—
Yet thy Fortune sweet Ella I know I can trace
While the lore of the heavens I read in thy face.
“Bright—bright as the splendor of tropical skies,
“Or the soul that beams out from those love-lighting eyes,
“Will sparkle the stream of thy life's happy hours,
“Like a brook which sings through one long summer of flowers.”
“Or the soul that beams out from those love-lighting eyes,
“Will sparkle the stream of thy life's happy hours,
“Like a brook which sings through one long summer of flowers.”
This, this I know,
But still there's something darkly hid,
At times beneath that pensive lid,
That says 'twill not be so,
Yet, lovely girl, do not revere,
As truth, these idle bodings here.
“Rashly, rashly, wilt thou give
“That young heart away,
“Sadly, sadly, wilt thou live,
Through each weary day,
“Watching wilted hopes to bloom,
“That never will,
“Disbelieving half thy cruel doom,
Still, oh still.
Thou wilt love as woman loves,
“Fondly and true.
“Blindly as woman trusts,
“Wilt thou trust too.
“Thou wilt be loved as men love
“Lightly alone—
Thy joys be shared by others,
“Thy griefs be all thine own.”
But still there's something darkly hid,
At times beneath that pensive lid,
That says 'twill not be so,
299
As truth, these idle bodings here.
“Rashly, rashly, wilt thou give
“That young heart away,
“Sadly, sadly, wilt thou live,
Through each weary day,
“Watching wilted hopes to bloom,
“That never will,
“Disbelieving half thy cruel doom,
Still, oh still.
Thou wilt love as woman loves,
“Fondly and true.
“Blindly as woman trusts,
“Wilt thou trust too.
“Thou wilt be loved as men love
“Lightly alone—
Thy joys be shared by others,
“Thy griefs be all thine own.”
H.
Tuesday night
| [Poems by Hoffman in] Charles Fenno Hoffman | |