[Poems by Pinkney in] The life and works of Edward Coote Pinkney a memoir and complete text of his poems and literary prose, including much never before published |
 |
THE GRAVE
|
 |
 | [Poems by Pinkney in] The life and works of Edward Coote Pinkney |  |
167
THE GRAVE
“Oh! to possess such lustre—and then lack!”
—[Byron,] Don Juan [III, lxix, 8].
—[Byron,] Don Juan [III, lxix, 8].
Beneath these rankly spreading weeds,
This lowly mound, and dreary stone,
The sordid earth worm darkly feeds
On one men loved to look upon:—
Of gentle race and beauty rare,
The land delightingly she ranged,
And now she slumbers deeply there,
Ah! the heart aches to think how changed.
This lowly mound, and dreary stone,
The sordid earth worm darkly feeds
On one men loved to look upon:—
Of gentle race and beauty rare,
The land delightingly she ranged,
And now she slumbers deeply there,
Ah! the heart aches to think how changed.
I saw her once in life, and said
So beautiful a thing could not
But breathe awhile, and then be made
To share in death the common lot;—
'Twas idly thought!—her form so fair
Is buried in this narrow cave;
But late she lit this upper air,
And now—I look upon her grave!
So beautiful a thing could not
But breathe awhile, and then be made
To share in death the common lot;—
'Twas idly thought!—her form so fair
Is buried in this narrow cave;
But late she lit this upper air,
And now—I look upon her grave!
I mourn for her, though nought to me
In kindred, or indeed in heart;
Save something that I liked to see
And wished not ever to depart:—
A pleasant sight—a creature I
Gazed on, in no unquiet mood,
And turned from most unwillingly
To glance on things of meaner blood.
In kindred, or indeed in heart;
Save something that I liked to see
And wished not ever to depart:—
168
Gazed on, in no unquiet mood,
And turned from most unwillingly
To glance on things of meaner blood.
A selfish grief! she lies within
A place of solitary rest;
Where care shall never entrance win,
Nor anguish wring her lovely breast!
Light hearted girl! I would that thou
Could'st change thy state with me,
That I might sleep the tomb below,
And sunlight shine again on thee.
A place of solitary rest;
Where care shall never entrance win,
Nor anguish wring her lovely breast!
Light hearted girl! I would that thou
Could'st change thy state with me,
That I might sleep the tomb below,
And sunlight shine again on thee.
| [Poems by Pinkney in] The life and works of Edward Coote Pinkney | |