 | Poems of Freneau |  |
TO LYDIA.
“Tu procul a patria, ah dura! inculta deserta,
Me sine, sola videbis ....
Virg. Eclog.
Me sine, sola videbis ....
Virg. Eclog.
Thus, safe arrived, she greets the strand,
And leaves her pilot for the land;
But LYDIA, why to the deserts roam,
And thus forsake your floating home!
And leaves her pilot for the land;
But LYDIA, why to the deserts roam,
And thus forsake your floating home!
366
To what fond care shall I resign
The bosom, that must ne'er be mine:
With lips, that glow beyond all art,
Oh! how shall I consent to part!—
The bosom, that must ne'er be mine:
With lips, that glow beyond all art,
Oh! how shall I consent to part!—
Long may you live, secure from woes,
Late dying, meet a calm repose,
And flowers, that in profusion grow,
Bloom round your steps, where'er you go.
Late dying, meet a calm repose,
And flowers, that in profusion grow,
Bloom round your steps, where'er you go.
On you all eyes delight to gaze,
All tongues are lavish in your praise;
With you no beauty can compare,
Nor GEORGIA boast one flower so fair.
All tongues are lavish in your praise;
With you no beauty can compare,
Nor GEORGIA boast one flower so fair.
Could I, fair girl, transmit this page,
A present, to some future age,
You should through every poem shine,
You, be adored in every line:
A present, to some future age,
You should through every poem shine,
You, be adored in every line:
From JERSEY coasts too loath to sail,
Sighing, she left her native vale;
Borne on a stream that met the main,
Homeward she looked, and looked again.
Sighing, she left her native vale;
Borne on a stream that met the main,
Homeward she looked, and looked again.
The gales that blew from off the land
Most wantonly her bosom fanned,
And, while around that heaven they strove,
Each whispering zephyr owned his love.
Most wantonly her bosom fanned,
And, while around that heaven they strove,
Each whispering zephyr owned his love.
As o'er the seas, with you I strayed,
The hostile winds our course delayed,
But, proud to waft a charge so fair,
To me were kind—and held you there.
The hostile winds our course delayed,
But, proud to waft a charge so fair,
To me were kind—and held you there.
I could not grieve, when you complained
That adverse gales our barque detained
Where foaming seas to mountains grow,
From gulphs of death, concealed below.
That adverse gales our barque detained
Where foaming seas to mountains grow,
From gulphs of death, concealed below.
367
When travelling o'er that lonely wave
To me your feverish hand you gave,
And sighing, bade me tell you, true,
What lands again would rise to view!
To me your feverish hand you gave,
And sighing, bade me tell you, true,
What lands again would rise to view!
When night came on, with blustering gale,
You feared the tempest would prevail,
And anxious asked, if I was sure
That on those depths we sailed secure?
You feared the tempest would prevail,
And anxious asked, if I was sure
That on those depths we sailed secure?
Delighted with a face so fair,
I half forgot my weight of care,
The dangerous shoal, that seaward runs,
Encircled moons, and shrouded suns.
I half forgot my weight of care,
The dangerous shoal, that seaward runs,
Encircled moons, and shrouded suns.
With timorous heart and tearful eyes,
You saw the deep Atlantic rise,
Saw wintry clouds their storms prepare,
And wept, to find no safety there.
You saw the deep Atlantic rise,
Saw wintry clouds their storms prepare,
And wept, to find no safety there.
Throughout the long December's night,
(While still your lamp was burning bright)
To dawn of day from evening's close
My pensive girl found no repose.
(While still your lamp was burning bright)
To dawn of day from evening's close
My pensive girl found no repose.
Then now, at length arrived from sea,
Consent, fair nymph, to stay with me—
The barque—still faithful to her freight,
Shall still on your direction wait.
Consent, fair nymph, to stay with me—
The barque—still faithful to her freight,
Shall still on your direction wait.
Such charms as your's all hearts engage!
Sweet subject of my glowing page,
Consent, before my Argo roves
To sun-burnt isles and savage groves.
Sweet subject of my glowing page,
Consent, before my Argo roves
To sun-burnt isles and savage groves.
When sultry suns around us glare,
Your poet, still, with fondest care,
To cast a shade, some folds will spread
Of his coarse topsails o'er your head.
Your poet, still, with fondest care,
To cast a shade, some folds will spread
Of his coarse topsails o'er your head.
368
When round the barque the billowy wave
And howling winds, tempestuous, rave,
By caution ruled, the helm shall guide
Safely, that Argo o'er the tide.
And howling winds, tempestuous, rave,
By caution ruled, the helm shall guide
Safely, that Argo o'er the tide.
Whene'er some female fears prevail,
At your request we'll reef the sail,
Disarm the gales that rudely blow,
And bring the loftiest canvas low.
At your request we'll reef the sail,
Disarm the gales that rudely blow,
And bring the loftiest canvas low.
When rising to harass the main
Old Boreas drives his blustering train,
Still shall they see, as they pursue,
Each tender care employed for you.
Old Boreas drives his blustering train,
Still shall they see, as they pursue,
Each tender care employed for you.
To all your questions—every sigh!
I still will make a kind reply;
Give all you ask, each whim allow,
And change my style to thee and thou.
I still will make a kind reply;
Give all you ask, each whim allow,
And change my style to thee and thou.
If verse can life to beauty give,
For ages I can make you live;
Beyond the stars, triumphant, rise,
While Cynthia's tomb neglected lies:
For ages I can make you live;
Beyond the stars, triumphant, rise,
While Cynthia's tomb neglected lies:
Upon that face of mortal clay
I will such lively colours lay,
That years to come shall join to seek
All beauty from your modest cheek.
I will such lively colours lay,
That years to come shall join to seek
All beauty from your modest cheek.
Then, Lydia, why our bark forsake;
The road to western deserts take?
That lip—on which hung half my bliss,
Some savage, now, will bend to kiss;
The road to western deserts take?
That lip—on which hung half my bliss,
Some savage, now, will bend to kiss;
Some rustic soon, with fierce attack,
May force his arms about that neck;
And you, perhaps, will weeping come
To seek—in vain—your floating home!
May force his arms about that neck;
And you, perhaps, will weeping come
To seek—in vain—your floating home!
1788
| Poems of Freneau | |