Persian love elegies To which is added The nymph of Tauris [by John Wolcot] |
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| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
ELEGY IX.
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| X. |
| XI. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
 | Persian love elegies |  |
24
ELEGY IX.
[What demons keep my soul's delight away]
SELIM HAVING ENGAGED HIS MISTRESS'S AFFECTIONS, AGREES TO MEET HER IN A RETIRED PART OF THE VALLEY.
What demons keep my soul's delight away,
And cruel thus my fondest wish invade?
Alas! I tremble at the setting ray,
Pale ev'ning waves around a dreadful shade!
And cruel thus my fondest wish invade?
Alas! I tremble at the setting ray,
Pale ev'ning waves around a dreadful shade!
How expectation loads th'important hour!
Impatience wilder with each moment grows:
Thou loit'ring fair-one bless th'appointed bow'r,
And snatch thy lover from a thousand woes.
Impatience wilder with each moment grows:
Thou loit'ring fair-one bless th'appointed bow'r,
And snatch thy lover from a thousand woes.
From vale to vale my eager gaze I strain,
From glade to glade with wild emotion move:
Now turn and sigh, now move and turn again,
Devour each sound, and chide my ling'ring love.
From glade to glade with wild emotion move:
Now turn and sigh, now move and turn again,
Devour each sound, and chide my ling'ring love.
Now on the ground in wan despondence lie,
And anxious murmur to the desart air;
Now call on Slumber to my closing eye:
But Slumber lights not on the lids of Care.
And anxious murmur to the desart air;
Now call on Slumber to my closing eye:
But Slumber lights not on the lids of Care.
25
Dark as the bosom of the stormy deep,
Wild as its waves my thoughts succeeding roll,
Cool reason vainly soothes the wretch to sleep,
Ah! what is reason to the love-sick soul!
Wild as its waves my thoughts succeeding roll,
Cool reason vainly soothes the wretch to sleep,
Ah! what is reason to the love-sick soul!
Ye sweet companions of my lonely bow'r
Whose simple melodies my shades inspire,
Oh! that my bosom felt your happy hour,
Oh! that my voice could join your chearful choir.
Whose simple melodies my shades inspire,
Oh! that my bosom felt your happy hour,
Oh! that my voice could join your chearful choir.
Light as your wing that skims the midway sky,
From joy to joy my heart so lately flew!
With me my moments never left a sigh,
Nor bath'd my lids in sorrow's baleful dew.
From joy to joy my heart so lately flew!
With me my moments never left a sigh,
Nor bath'd my lids in sorrow's baleful dew.
Hate to the nymph I vow, and cold disdain,
Yet at each idle sound alarm'd I start:
To meet her, panting ev'ry nerve I strain,
And show too plain her triumph o'er my heart.
Yet at each idle sound alarm'd I start:
To meet her, panting ev'ry nerve I strain,
And show too plain her triumph o'er my heart.
Where is my love? Alas! my transports die:
My cheek that redden'd with dispair turns pale.
With disappointment drops my languid eye,
Each pining feature tells a mournful tale.
My cheek that redden'd with dispair turns pale.
With disappointment drops my languid eye,
Each pining feature tells a mournful tale.
26
See, see! the sun descends beneath the deep,
Behold the melancholy bird of night!
In vain along the winding gloom I weep,
And wish in vain to stop the parting light.
Behold the melancholy bird of night!
In vain along the winding gloom I weep,
And wish in vain to stop the parting light.
| Persian love elegies | |