Poems, on sacred and other subjects and songs, humorous and sentimental: By the late William Watt. Third edition of the songs only--with additional songs |
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 | Poems, on sacred and other subjects |  |
IV.
To reach Fame's bright realm every effort has fail'd me;
To grasp Riches' coffer no more will I try;
Come, black-robed Despair, I reluctant must hail thee;
By Hope quite forsaken, I fear not to die.
Thou bright flash of heaven, oh! in pity destroy me;
Thou false ignis fatuus, to ruin decoy me;
For life's snare-allurements serve only to cloy me,
And grave-like oblivion alone I espy.
To grasp Riches' coffer no more will I try;
Come, black-robed Despair, I reluctant must hail thee;
By Hope quite forsaken, I fear not to die.
Thou bright flash of heaven, oh! in pity destroy me;
Thou false ignis fatuus, to ruin decoy me;
For life's snare-allurements serve only to cloy me,
And grave-like oblivion alone I espy.
Oh! had I, like some exiled hermit, but wander'd
Aloof from the world, ere the world I had known;
And on nature, far, far from ambition, had ponder'd,
I had found sweet contentment, and found it alone.
But teased, harass'd, criticised, vex'd, and forsaken;
Oh! that in the dawn of life death had me taken;
Remembrance, oh! rise not, my woes to awaken;
And sleep, cruel memory, I charge thee anon.
Aloof from the world, ere the world I had known;
And on nature, far, far from ambition, had ponder'd,
I had found sweet contentment, and found it alone.
But teased, harass'd, criticised, vex'd, and forsaken;
Oh! that in the dawn of life death had me taken;
Remembrance, oh! rise not, my woes to awaken;
And sleep, cruel memory, I charge thee anon.
| Poems, on sacred and other subjects | |