 | The genius of oblivion ; and Other Original Poems |  |
96
THE CAPTIVE.
Around the blazing, festive fire,
The jest and laugh were high;
Gay, careless rapture flush'd each heart,
Mirth danc'd in every eye.
The jest and laugh were high;
Gay, careless rapture flush'd each heart,
Mirth danc'd in every eye.
All—no, not all, one grief-worn form
Lean'd sad and silent there,
On his wan brow, and withered cheek
Was character'd despair.
Lean'd sad and silent there,
On his wan brow, and withered cheek
Was character'd despair.
The merry tale and song went round,
The sadder still was he;
And every sprightly note but seem'd
To swell his misery.
The sadder still was he;
And every sprightly note but seem'd
To swell his misery.
With pity some, and some with awe
The gloomy stranger scann'd;
And some from 'midst the lively group
In turn his tale demand.
The gloomy stranger scann'd;
And some from 'midst the lively group
In turn his tale demand.
“Gay friends,” the man of woe began,
“Ill suits my soul with joy;
“And loth am I with tragic scenes
“Your pleasures to destroy:
“Ill suits my soul with joy;
“And loth am I with tragic scenes
“Your pleasures to destroy:
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“But yet, methinks, 'tis wisdom's part
“Life's varied turns to hear;
“It forms the judgment, mans the heart,
“In destiny severe.
“Life's varied turns to hear;
“It forms the judgment, mans the heart,
“In destiny severe.
“Then list, and no ficticious woes
“Will claim a tear, a sigh;
“For whilst our bitter cup o'erflows,
“Fancy and fiction die.
“Will claim a tear, a sigh;
“For whilst our bitter cup o'erflows,
“Fancy and fiction die.
“Twelve times the sun, with heaven's own beam,
“Hath wheel'd his orbit round,
“Since on the fair Ohio's stream
“A residence I found.
“Hath wheel'd his orbit round,
“Since on the fair Ohio's stream
“A residence I found.
‘'Twas a sweet spot—the fertile earth
“My labor well repaid,
“And clustering roses had their birth
“In every sunny glade.
“My labor well repaid,
“And clustering roses had their birth
“In every sunny glade.
“Where the smooth stream disclosed a lawn,
“My little dwelling rose;
'Twas cheerful as the day's mild dawn;
“'Twas peaceful as its close.
“My little dwelling rose;
'Twas cheerful as the day's mild dawn;
“'Twas peaceful as its close.
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“There calm Philosophy might rest,
“His golden age renew;
“And there, with health and plenty blest,
“Life's happiest joys I knew.
“His golden age renew;
“And there, with health and plenty blest,
“Life's happiest joys I knew.
“As merry as thine my evenings were,
“As bright my hearth did shine;
“In unison throbb'd each life-pulse there;
“Each smile replied to mine.
“As bright my hearth did shine;
“In unison throbb'd each life-pulse there;
“Each smile replied to mine.
“Oh, still my little ones, I see,
“All sporting about my chair
“They clung round my neck, and climb'd my knee,
“The willing kiss to share.
“All sporting about my chair
“They clung round my neck, and climb'd my knee,
“The willing kiss to share.
“Their mother then, with looks of love,
“Would watch our playful glee,
“And hold her cherub infant near,
“That smil'd in sympathy.”
“Would watch our playful glee,
“And hold her cherub infant near,
“That smil'd in sympathy.”
He paus'd—his cheek was pale as death,
His lab'ring bosom rose;
Around, with half suspended breath,
The anxious circle close:
His lab'ring bosom rose;
Around, with half suspended breath,
The anxious circle close:
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His dark, wild eye he rais'd on high—
That prayer was heard in heaven,
His brow unbent, and to his soul
Was firm composure given.
That prayer was heard in heaven,
His brow unbent, and to his soul
Was firm composure given.
“On safety's breast, we sunk to rest,
“And sound was our repose;
“But e'er the morning streak'd the east,
“The terrible war-whoop rose!
“And sound was our repose;
“But e'er the morning streak'd the east,
“The terrible war-whoop rose!
“Like shrieks of hell, that maniac yell,
“E'en now its peal I hear,
“Convulsive checks life's quivering pulse,
“And kills with living fear.
“E'en now its peal I hear,
“Convulsive checks life's quivering pulse,
“And kills with living fear.
“Desp'rate the strife—I strove for life—
“Oh more! my life was naught—
“My wife, my babes—these nerv'd my arm,
“For them, for them I fought!
“Oh more! my life was naught—
“My wife, my babes—these nerv'd my arm,
“For them, for them I fought!
“But fruitless all—force, savage force
“Soon won the dreadful day;
“And mangled, butcher'd, dying, dead,
“My heart's sole treasure lay!
“Soon won the dreadful day;
“And mangled, butcher'd, dying, dead,
“My heart's sole treasure lay!
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“'Twould rive your heart, your eyeballs start,
“Each bloody deed to hear;
“Nor words express the wretchedness,
“Which yet the soul can bear.
“Each bloody deed to hear;
“Nor words express the wretchedness,
“Which yet the soul can bear.
“I saw it all—I lived—oh, death!
“How welcome then thy dart;
“I could have bless'd the murd'rer's hand
“That still'd my bursting heart!
“How welcome then thy dart;
“I could have bless'd the murd'rer's hand
“That still'd my bursting heart!
“'Tis long to tell, and sad to hear
“My wanderings and my woe;
“Or by what artful subterfuge
“I 'scap'd the cruel foe.
“My wanderings and my woe;
“Or by what artful subterfuge
“I 'scap'd the cruel foe.
“And now my country's happy soil,
“And happy sons I see;
“But home, nor relative, nor friend,
“Have I to welcome me.
“And happy sons I see;
“But home, nor relative, nor friend,
“Have I to welcome me.
“Oh, then, though peace thy summer gild,
“And pleasure thy garland twine;
“Remember a cloud, the sun may shroud,
“And wither thy hopes like mine!”
“And pleasure thy garland twine;
“Remember a cloud, the sun may shroud,
“And wither thy hopes like mine!”
April, 1821.
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