The poetical works of Robert Stephen Hawker Edited from the original manuscripts and annotated copies together with a prefatory notice and bibliography by Alfred Wallis |
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THE SPELL OF ST. PENNAH. |
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 | The poetical works of Robert Stephen Hawker |  |
21
THE SPELL OF ST. PENNAH.
“Daughter, my daughter! it is the time;
The bell hath swung with the midnight chime.
“By thy lost soul and thy tarnished fame,
“Bring me thy lover's unuttered name!”
The bell hath swung with the midnight chime.
“By thy lost soul and thy tarnished fame,
“Bring me thy lover's unuttered name!”
“Mother, my mother! how can I brook
“From his awful eye the withering look?
“How can I brave that boding tone—
“‘Death to our love when my name is known?’”
“From his awful eye the withering look?
“How can I brave that boding tone—
“‘Death to our love when my name is known?’”
“Sign thou the Cross on his bended brow;
“Breathe in his ear Saint Pennah's vow;
“Free thy poor soul from her sinful load—
“False to thy lover, but true to thy God!”
“Breathe in his ear Saint Pennah's vow;
“Free thy poor soul from her sinful load—
“False to thy lover, but true to thy God!”
She hath made that Sign in her fond despair;
She hath breathed in fierce love Saint Pennah's prayer;
She hath lightened her soul of its sinful load—
False to her lover, but true to her God.
She hath breathed in fierce love Saint Pennah's prayer;
She hath lightened her soul of its sinful load—
False to her lover, but true to her God.
It was a Spirit that turned to the sky
Th' immortal grief of his sullen eye;
And sad was the wild farewell he gave,
As the deep voice of a sounding wave.
Th' immortal grief of his sullen eye;
And sad was the wild farewell he gave,
As the deep voice of a sounding wave.
“Home! Home, once more, to my woful toil!
“Back to our den, to gibber and coil,
“Where the gliding shadows mourn for rest,
“Each with his hand on his weary breast!”
“Back to our den, to gibber and coil,
“Where the gliding shadows mourn for rest,
“Each with his hand on his weary breast!”
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Now this same Saint Pennah, you understand,
Was the frailest flower of the Rocky Land;
Hard penance she did for crimes unshriven,
Till the sinner on earth was a saint in heaven.
Was the frailest flower of the Rocky Land;
Hard penance she did for crimes unshriven,
Till the sinner on earth was a saint in heaven.
She framed in her death this touching spell,
Which the daughter said who had loved too well—
Thus was lightened her soul of its weary load,
And the sinner was gathered unto God!
Which the daughter said who had loved too well—
Thus was lightened her soul of its weary load,
And the sinner was gathered unto God!
Nov. 15th, 1831.
| The poetical works of Robert Stephen Hawker | |