 | Verses of a life time |  |
9
THE NEAPOLITAN BOYS.
[_]
[At the Revolution in Naples, in 1779, two brothers, one fifteen, the other twelve years old, were condemned to death, and upon the entreaties of their mother, the King's attorney told her that he could spare one of them, and bade her choose.]
I cannot tell—I dare not tell,
On which the fearful choice shall rest;
They both have frolick'd 'neath my gaze,
They both were nurtur'd at my breast.
On which the fearful choice shall rest;
They both have frolick'd 'neath my gaze,
They both were nurtur'd at my breast.
O, Henry, Henry, look not thus
In silence on thy mother's face!
Speak, speak, my patient boy, and break
That spell of melancholy grace.
In silence on thy mother's face!
Speak, speak, my patient boy, and break
That spell of melancholy grace.
And yet thy shrill and startling cry,
My Edward, cuts thy mother's soul;
That pleading voice I cannot bear,—
Thy dreadful eloquence control.
My Edward, cuts thy mother's soul;
That pleading voice I cannot bear,—
Thy dreadful eloquence control.
10
Thy wooing smile, thine eye of blue,
How oft thy father call'd them mine!
Can I give up the look he prais'd?
Can I that eye of love resign?
How oft thy father call'd them mine!
Can I give up the look he prais'd?
Can I that eye of love resign?
My boy! my boy! I thought that thou
Shouldst smooth my pillow at its close;
I hoped thy kind and soothing hand,
Would rock life's cradle of repose.
Shouldst smooth my pillow at its close;
I hoped thy kind and soothing hand,
Would rock life's cradle of repose.
And thou, my Henry, with thy brow
And eagle look of high emprize;
I dream'd that thou wouldst clear my path,
And guard the way where danger lies.
And eagle look of high emprize;
I dream'd that thou wouldst clear my path,
And guard the way where danger lies.
That brow, that look, thy father's look,
O no! I cannot bid thee die:
Would they had wrapt me in his shroud,
How tranquilly I there could lie!
O no! I cannot bid thee die:
Would they had wrapt me in his shroud,
How tranquilly I there could lie!
Go, boys—away! I will not choose;
God must resume the lives he gave—
For me, I bear a breaking heart,
Which soon will lay me in the grave.
God must resume the lives he gave—
For me, I bear a breaking heart,
Which soon will lay me in the grave.
1835.
| Verses of a life time | |