 | Poems by William Kendall |  |
63
I. PRELUDE.
In silence too long have I sigh'd,
And breathed my soft sorrows in vain:
My tears but awaken her pride,
My verse but invites her disdain.
And breathed my soft sorrows in vain:
My tears but awaken her pride,
My verse but invites her disdain.
Shall love all my pleasures destroy,
Shall grief ever doom me to pine?
Forbid it, delusions of joy!
Let Fancy's bright empire be mine.
Shall grief ever doom me to pine?
Forbid it, delusions of joy!
Let Fancy's bright empire be mine.
With Elves of the sun-beam I'll glide,
I'll rove the gay realms of delight;
In the cloud, in the whirlwind I'll ride—
Or flit with the visions of night.
I'll rove the gay realms of delight;
In the cloud, in the whirlwind I'll ride—
Or flit with the visions of night.
On the strand when the wild billows roar,
I'll mount in the foam of the deep;
'Mid ruins hear spectres deplore,
Or wander the desart and weep;
I'll mount in the foam of the deep;
'Mid ruins hear spectres deplore,
Or wander the desart and weep;
64
Thro' ice-cover'd regions I'll pass,
Lakes, mountains, and cool-dripping cells;
With Fairies strew flowers on the grass,
And gaily dance over the dells.
Lakes, mountains, and cool-dripping cells;
With Fairies strew flowers on the grass,
And gaily dance over the dells.
Ye phantoms! that silence alarms,—
Ye shadows! that soften desire,—
Ah shroud a fond youth with your charms,
Till love's gloomy tempests retire!
Ye shadows! that soften desire,—
Ah shroud a fond youth with your charms,
Till love's gloomy tempests retire!
| Poems by William Kendall | |