 | Lays of Melpomene |  |
70
RETROSPECTION.
Love of my sad and lonely Youth! to thee
I bowed my spirit in deep ecstacy,
And when most thrall'd esteemed myself most free
From lowly earth's polluting stains,
And sorrow's self-engendered pains,
I bowed my spirit in deep ecstacy,
And when most thrall'd esteemed myself most free
From lowly earth's polluting stains,
And sorrow's self-engendered pains,
And all that saints mourn over and regret;
For deep-felt passion purifies the heart,
And, when the signet of true love is set,
Sublime conception will its thought impart,
And noblest virtue ever sway
The joyous life from day to day.
For deep-felt passion purifies the heart,
And, when the signet of true love is set,
Sublime conception will its thought impart,
And noblest virtue ever sway
The joyous life from day to day.
Those holy hours of heavenly love we past
Their incense yet o'er life's lone path-way cast,
And through my being will their influence last,
Though, like the light of paradise
To suffering sinner's straining eyes,
Their incense yet o'er life's lone path-way cast,
And through my being will their influence last,
Though, like the light of paradise
To suffering sinner's straining eyes,
Their pure, unearthly splendor in the gloom
Of dark misfortune and unceasing woe,
Gleams like the baleful torch-light of the tomb,
And haggard shapes and ghastly forms doth show
To eyes, that once on beauty shone,
And met love true as was their own.
Of dark misfortune and unceasing woe,
Gleams like the baleful torch-light of the tomb,
And haggard shapes and ghastly forms doth show
To eyes, that once on beauty shone,
And met love true as was their own.
Love of my dark and lonely youth! thy name,
Unread, unheard, no mortal power shall claim,
For, though I'm changed, yet I am still the same
To thee, my heart's eternal bride!
My spirit's life, and joy and pride!
Unread, unheard, no mortal power shall claim,
For, though I'm changed, yet I am still the same
To thee, my heart's eternal bride!
My spirit's life, and joy and pride!
When far retired from earth's unfeeling things
I hold communion with the days gone by,
And when my soul on high devotion's wings
Reads the bright volume of eternity,
I think of thee, and whispering tell
Thy name to those who loved as well.
I hold communion with the days gone by,
And when my soul on high devotion's wings
Reads the bright volume of eternity,
I think of thee, and whispering tell
Thy name to those who loved as well.
71
Another claimed thy wedded love and thou
Didst yield response to his enamoured vow,
And on the earth there's nothing left me now
But coldness, sorrow and neglect,
(Erst of such fate I little reck'd.)
Didst yield response to his enamoured vow,
And on the earth there's nothing left me now
But coldness, sorrow and neglect,
(Erst of such fate I little reck'd.)
But in the pride of suffering I will bear
The past, the present and the future's ills,
And only think of thee as one in prayer
Doth think of heaven—and though my heart oft thrills
At sound of name too like to thine,
No eye in me shall grief divine.
The past, the present and the future's ills,
And only think of thee as one in prayer
Doth think of heaven—and though my heart oft thrills
At sound of name too like to thine,
No eye in me shall grief divine.
I blame thee not, sweet one! that thou didst speak
Love to my passion, for my heart was weak,
And fondly leaned on what was sure to break;
I blame thee not—the time hath gone
When I did wish thee for my own.
Love to my passion, for my heart was weak,
And fondly leaned on what was sure to break;
I blame thee not—the time hath gone
When I did wish thee for my own.
Back o'er the desert of anterior life
I gaze in sorrow not with joy unblent,
For childhood's dreams and youth's enkindling strife
Have lost the illusion that they whilom lent,
And guile hath chilled my feelings so
I would not change for bliss my woe.
I gaze in sorrow not with joy unblent,
For childhood's dreams and youth's enkindling strife
Have lost the illusion that they whilom lent,
And guile hath chilled my feelings so
I would not change for bliss my woe.
Long time hath past—lone, leaden-winged hours,
Days, months and years since Housatonic's bowers
Heard zephyr wantoning among the flowers
To lovers' soft and witching lay;
And many a lingering, lonely day
Days, months and years since Housatonic's bowers
Heard zephyr wantoning among the flowers
To lovers' soft and witching lay;
And many a lingering, lonely day
Since then hath hung like mountain on my mind,
And seemed eternal as the vault above;
And, though I've lived in misery, yet resigned
I could have been to sacrifice my love,
Hadst thou not lost, the while, thy bloom,
And wert thou not so near the tomb.
And seemed eternal as the vault above;
And, though I've lived in misery, yet resigned
I could have been to sacrifice my love,
Hadst thou not lost, the while, thy bloom,
And wert thou not so near the tomb.
72
But such is youthful love—all passion, fire,
Fever and frenzy—all beyond desire,
Or hope, or aim, save what it doth inspire
Of paradise that turns to hell
With all who love long, fond and well.
Fever and frenzy—all beyond desire,
Or hope, or aim, save what it doth inspire
Of paradise that turns to hell
With all who love long, fond and well.
Moments of bliss no human heart can bear
Prelude dark years of misery and pain;
Rapture lends venom unto fierce despair,
And youth's gay hopes in age deep sorrows reign.
The heart that love leaves desolate
Becomes the seat of settled hate.
Prelude dark years of misery and pain;
Rapture lends venom unto fierce despair,
And youth's gay hopes in age deep sorrows reign.
The heart that love leaves desolate
Becomes the seat of settled hate.
| Lays of Melpomene | |