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 | Poems by Frances Sargent Osgood |  |
LXI. TO-NIGHT I'LL WEAR AROUND MY HAIR
“To-night I'll wear around my hair,
This string of fragrant beads,” I said;
I loved to breathe the enchanted air,
That o'er thy gift, in perfume, play'd.
This string of fragrant beads,” I said;
I loved to breathe the enchanted air,
That o'er thy gift, in perfume, play'd.
The only amulet were they
I cared to keep, all ill to charm:
Within that magic round could stray
One only wrong, one only harm.
I cared to keep, all ill to charm:
Within that magic round could stray
One only wrong, one only harm.
415
One only wo, they could not ward,
One only wrong, they could not right;
It was—thy falsehood, my adored!
And that, ah, Heaven! I learn'd to-night.
One only wrong, they could not right;
It was—thy falsehood, my adored!
And that, ah, Heaven! I learn'd to-night.
I tore them madly from my hair;
I flung the faithless token by;
Yet still its fragrance fills the air,
And still I breathe its perfumed sigh.
I flung the faithless token by;
Yet still its fragrance fills the air,
And still I breathe its perfumed sigh.
And thus I flung from off my soul
Those vows too sweet, those chains too dear;
And thus their memory backward stole,
To bind my heart and charm mine ear.
Those vows too sweet, those chains too dear;
And thus their memory backward stole,
To bind my heart and charm mine ear.
| Poems by Frances Sargent Osgood | |