 | Poems |  |
128
THE DESPERATE MAID.
Sad sat a maiden on the shore,
And viewed the tumbling lake,
She listened to the dismal roar,
And heard the billows break.
And viewed the tumbling lake,
She listened to the dismal roar,
And heard the billows break.
She saw high rocks their mountains raise
The rolling waves that washed their base,
The water dashing up the bays,
Which lashed the rocky vase.
The rolling waves that washed their base,
The water dashing up the bays,
Which lashed the rocky vase.
Loosened was her golden hair,
Hung in tresses down her breast
Or floating to the chilly air,
Winged from the lake that knew no rest.
Hung in tresses down her breast
Or floating to the chilly air,
Winged from the lake that knew no rest.
Wan was her form and pale her mien,
Sorrow marked her visage bright;
Fled was her eye's full glow serene,
Life was now a winter night.
Sorrow marked her visage bright;
Fled was her eye's full glow serene,
Life was now a winter night.
Her snowy breast was open wide,
On it all the winds did blow,
It felt the cold and chilly tide,
Yet calmed was not its heated glow.
On it all the winds did blow,
It felt the cold and chilly tide,
Yet calmed was not its heated glow.
129
Her changing pulse beat short and slow,
As she heard the raging roar;
Quick they ran with every blow,
The rolling waves did strike the shore.
As she heard the raging roar;
Quick they ran with every blow,
The rolling waves did strike the shore.
Torn were her feet with flinty stones,
Bare her head to every blast;
Soon did she think to find the bones,
Of him she loved best and last.
Bare her head to every blast;
Soon did she think to find the bones,
Of him she loved best and last.
On every gale were borne his groans,
Each roaring wave but told them o'er;
Each beast rehearsed his deadly moans;
His boat was wrecked upon the shore.
Each roaring wave but told them o'er;
Each beast rehearsed his deadly moans;
His boat was wrecked upon the shore.
She laid her heated, glowing head
Upon the cold and frosty earth;
Thought on the woes of him now dead,
For whom she left her father's hearth.
Upon the cold and frosty earth;
Thought on the woes of him now dead,
For whom she left her father's hearth.
Perhaps they now will search in vain,
To find her whom they loved so dear;
Little think they she dares complain
In sullen notes, by lake so drear.
To find her whom they loved so dear;
Little think they she dares complain
In sullen notes, by lake so drear.
These direful thoughts did rack her breast,
As the tempest howled along;
Such are the thoughts that find no rest,
Which to aching hearts belong.
As the tempest howled along;
Such are the thoughts that find no rest,
Which to aching hearts belong.
130
She heard full oft the owl's wild screech,
Which seemed the awful, dismal dirge;
Oft she sprang her love to reach;—
As oft she met the cruel surge.
Which seemed the awful, dismal dirge;
Oft she sprang her love to reach;—
As oft she met the cruel surge.
Till, rising on the growing breeze,
A dreadful crash did strike her ear;
She started from her bended knees,
Wild with love, and mad with fear.
A dreadful crash did strike her ear;
She started from her bended knees,
Wild with love, and mad with fear.
She eyed the lake from side to side,
She saw its waters dyed with blood;
Nought could be seen upon its tide;
Nothing but the foaming flood.
She saw its waters dyed with blood;
Nought could be seen upon its tide;
Nothing but the foaming flood.
She looked again;—an object rose,
It was her William on the verge—
She stretched her arms to him inclose—
Off was he borne by roaring surge.
It was her William on the verge—
She stretched her arms to him inclose—
Off was he borne by roaring surge.
She heard her William's final shriek
And left the low and dreadful shore,
Of rocks she climbed the highest peak—
She plunged—and heard no more.
And left the low and dreadful shore,
Of rocks she climbed the highest peak—
She plunged—and heard no more.
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