Poems and miscellanies selected from the writings of Miss Eliza Townsend Printed but not published |
 |
LINES TO A WALL-FLOWER FROM THE COLISEUM. |
 |
 | Poems and miscellanies selected from the writings of Miss Eliza Townsend |  |
182
LINES TO A WALL-FLOWER FROM THE COLISEUM.
[1832.]
Nay, grieve not if thy flow'ret sent—
The promise of the Latian year—
With faded tints and foliage bent,
And broken stem should now appear.
The promise of the Latian year—
With faded tints and foliage bent,
And broken stem should now appear.
For sure these aspects of decay,
Fitlier its native scenes recall,
Than when in golden front, so gay,
It flaunted o'er a Roman wall.
Fitlier its native scenes recall,
Than when in golden front, so gay,
It flaunted o'er a Roman wall.
Where erst the marvel of the world—
A tottering arch, a crumbled way—
If Ruin's hand on those was hurled,
Should this endure more firm than they?
A tottering arch, a crumbled way—
If Ruin's hand on those was hurled,
Should this endure more firm than they?
183
Yet might the muse invest the flower
(As legendary lays pretend)
With sentient life and vocal power,
'T would thus its life and death defend—
(As legendary lays pretend)
With sentient life and vocal power,
'T would thus its life and death defend—
“Wand'rer and witness of our days!
Behold to things like us 'tis given,
In answer to the asking gaze,
To vindicate the ways of heaven.
Behold to things like us 'tis given,
In answer to the asking gaze,
To vindicate the ways of heaven.
“Though quickened into life and bloom,
Our roots have sprung from Christian gore,
When at some royal murd'rers doom
Their blood like water wont to pour.
Our roots have sprung from Christian gore,
When at some royal murd'rers doom
Their blood like water wont to pour.
“Ere gathered to our parent earth
Mindful of its avenging call,
The flower that owed th' oppressed its birth,
Shall triumph in the oppressor's fall.
Mindful of its avenging call,
The flower that owed th' oppressed its birth,
Shall triumph in the oppressor's fall.
“Shall round his shattered column sport,
O'er all its prostrate pride elate;
And glitter 'mid its mould'ring court,
In mockery of their buried state!
O'er all its prostrate pride elate;
And glitter 'mid its mould'ring court,
In mockery of their buried state!
184
“Then, when its destined work is done,
No more its leafy flag shall wave,
But duteous end where it begun,
And deck in death the martyr's grave!”
No more its leafy flag shall wave,
But duteous end where it begun,
And deck in death the martyr's grave!”
| Poems and miscellanies selected from the writings of Miss Eliza Townsend | |