 | Lays of Leisure Hours |  |
I CLAIM NOT CONSTANCY FROM THEE.
I claim not constancy from thee,
Change—but change back again to me!
I will permit that heart to rove,
So that none other keep its love!
Change—but change back again to me!
I will permit that heart to rove,
So that none other keep its love!
80
And though my heart thou may'st resign,
'Twill still remain as deeply thine;
It must not murmur, may not mourn,
Resign, but Oh! again return!
'Twill still remain as deeply thine;
It must not murmur, may not mourn,
Resign, but Oh! again return!
I ne'er will try thy truth to prove,
I ne'er will claim nor chain thy love;
I dare not hope for faith from thee,
Change then, but change again to me!
I ne'er will claim nor chain thy love;
I dare not hope for faith from thee,
Change then, but change again to me!
My heart still dreads as its worst doom
That thou should'st fixed in faith become;
Since, Oh! if thou could'st constant be,
I know 'twould never be to me!
That thou should'st fixed in faith become;
Since, Oh! if thou could'st constant be,
I know 'twould never be to me!
But Ah! the fear is very vain,
Nought can thy wandering fancy chain;
Like Hope itself's thy bright career,
That Heavenly thing hath no home here!
Nought can thy wandering fancy chain;
Like Hope itself's thy bright career,
That Heavenly thing hath no home here!
81
Too far art thou thyself removed
From all that thou hast ever loved!
Too—too superior still to all
That holds or held thee in faint thrall!
From all that thou hast ever loved!
Too—too superior still to all
That holds or held thee in faint thrall!
Still ever seeking—ever bent
To find some Virtue eminent;
Something that may be worthy thee,
And that on earth can never be!
To find some Virtue eminent;
Something that may be worthy thee,
And that on earth can never be!
Then dearest—if thou wilt resign
This deep devoted heart of mine—
Resign—but not for evermore;
Return, its life-pulse to restore!
This deep devoted heart of mine—
Resign—but not for evermore;
Return, its life-pulse to restore!
Yes—yes forsake me and forget,
No word shall breathe of my regret;
I pray but this, in my disgrace,
Yet once again thy steps retrace!
No word shall breathe of my regret;
I pray but this, in my disgrace,
Yet once again thy steps retrace!
82
Or be each tie between us rent,
Rack me, and mock me, and torment;
By every bitter pang undone,
Still let me keep one hope—but one!
Rack me, and mock me, and torment;
By every bitter pang undone,
Still let me keep one hope—but one!
The hope that thou may'st yet once more
Return to her thou lov'dst before;
Then dearest—move unchained and free,
Change—but change back again to me!
Return to her thou lov'dst before;
Then dearest—move unchained and free,
Change—but change back again to me!
I feel, my best beloved, I know
That it shall be even thus below;
And I forgive the inconstancy
That yet may win thee back to me.
That it shall be even thus below;
And I forgive the inconstancy
That yet may win thee back to me.
Since still beyond all things I dread
That thou should'st faithful prove instead;
For Oh! if thou could'st constant be,
I know 'twould never be to me!
That thou should'st faithful prove instead;
For Oh! if thou could'st constant be,
I know 'twould never be to me!
83
Too whelming is my love's excess
In its absorbing anxiousness;
Too restless in its feverish strife,
Withering the energies of life!
In its absorbing anxiousness;
Too restless in its feverish strife,
Withering the energies of life!
Too fond is mine idolatry,
I scarce can breathe when thou art by;
I faint—I droop—I die away,
O'ertaken with a sweet dismay.
I scarce can breathe when thou art by;
I faint—I droop—I die away,
O'ertaken with a sweet dismay.
And well may this deep love's excess
Smite thee with very weariness;
This over passionate love's extreme
Haunt thee like some unquiet dream.
Smite thee with very weariness;
This over passionate love's extreme
Haunt thee like some unquiet dream.
And yet perchance when we're apart,
Thou'lt miss this homage of the heart;
A dear remorse shall soften thee,
And thou wilt change again to me.
Thou'lt miss this homage of the heart;
A dear remorse shall soften thee,
And thou wilt change again to me.
84
Beloved—thou art as free as air,
Oh! mind not me nor my despair;
Leave me to that one hope—but one,
Yet all enlightening like the sun!
Oh! mind not me nor my despair;
Leave me to that one hope—but one,
Yet all enlightening like the sun!
I would not, for all worlds that are,
Thy lightest dreams or fancies mar;
I could not thy least wish oppose,
No—rather welcome Fate's worst woes!
Thy lightest dreams or fancies mar;
I could not thy least wish oppose,
No—rather welcome Fate's worst woes!
Be if thou wilt, inconstant then,
But be so for my sake again;
Pursue thy winding path at will,
Let me at least be constant still!
But be so for my sake again;
Pursue thy winding path at will,
Let me at least be constant still!
Far more I dread that deeper change—
That thou should'st cease to rove and range;
Since Oh! if thou could'st constant be,
I know 'twould never be to me!
That thou should'st cease to rove and range;
Since Oh! if thou could'st constant be,
I know 'twould never be to me!
85
Be ever just as now thou art,
For still forewarns this prophet-heart—
If unto one thou true could'st be,
I know—I know 'twould ne'er be me!
For still forewarns this prophet-heart—
If unto one thou true could'st be,
I know—I know 'twould ne'er be me!
Ev'n as thou art then, Love remain,
I will endure the jealous pain;
Remembering, could'st thou constant be,
Never—'twould never be to me!
I will endure the jealous pain;
Remembering, could'st thou constant be,
Never—'twould never be to me!
No constancy from thee I claim,
Fear not that I could chide or blame,
Though thou abandon and desert
Earth's faithfullest and fondest heart!
Fear not that I could chide or blame,
Though thou abandon and desert
Earth's faithfullest and fondest heart!
Unchecked—unchained—unchidden move,
Thou idol of my changeless love!
Still free, as winds and waves are free,
Change—but change back again to me!
Thou idol of my changeless love!
Still free, as winds and waves are free,
Change—but change back again to me!
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