 | Poems |  |
34
TO MYRRHA.
O dost thou seek to know why mirth
Harsh grates upon my soul—
Dost fondly ask, why joyous earth,
And all its charms, like vapours roll?
Harsh grates upon my soul—
Dost fondly ask, why joyous earth,
And all its charms, like vapours roll?
Perchance thou'st seen the wand'rer tread
O'er lawns, where flowers embalm the gale,
While caustic lightnings vengeance shed,
Deep thunders burst and woodlands wail.
O'er lawns, where flowers embalm the gale,
While caustic lightnings vengeance shed,
Deep thunders burst and woodlands wail.
The cresset gleams through forests far,
But points the startled pilgrim's way
O'er marshes, fens, and thorns, that war
With every step towards safety's ray.
But points the startled pilgrim's way
O'er marshes, fens, and thorns, that war
With every step towards safety's ray.
Dost think, my love, the wanderer stoops
To cull the flowers while terrors fly,
As the gaunt vulture rapid swoops
With fury to his revelry?
To cull the flowers while terrors fly,
As the gaunt vulture rapid swoops
With fury to his revelry?
Toils he to weave a bridal wreath,
Twines he the amorous gay festoon,
While o'er the nuptial couch stern death
Terrific bends, and blights his boon?
Twines he the amorous gay festoon,
While o'er the nuptial couch stern death
Terrific bends, and blights his boon?
Alas! where nature dictates gives,
Wisdom and truth attend our path;
Where reckless, wanton pleasure strives
With heaven, burst the bolts of wrath.
Wisdom and truth attend our path;
Where reckless, wanton pleasure strives
With heaven, burst the bolts of wrath.
35
The maudlin hall, the sportive dance,
Blasphemous jeer, ignoble vaunt,
Before him spread a dire expanse,
Whose mandates high his wild soul daunt.
Blasphemous jeer, ignoble vaunt,
Before him spread a dire expanse,
Whose mandates high his wild soul daunt.
Cheered by the light, for errors sad,
The distant rays e'er fire his eye,
Till, veiled in raptures ever glad,
Hope blooms in bright reality.
The distant rays e'er fire his eye,
Till, veiled in raptures ever glad,
Hope blooms in bright reality.
The breathings of the ardent soul
To brighter worlds are given,
Where purest streams of glory roll
Amid the golden walks of heaven.
To brighter worlds are given,
Where purest streams of glory roll
Amid the golden walks of heaven.
| Poems | |