Persian love elegies To which is added The nymph of Tauris [by John Wolcot] |
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| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
ELEGY III.
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| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
 | Persian love elegies |  |
6
ELEGY III.
[Whilst Achmet]
SELIM'S ADDRESS TO HIS MISTRESS.
Whilst Achmet
owns the triumph of thy eye,
And mourns amidst the fair Sultana train;
Will Zulpha's virgin hear the hopeless sigh,
Breath'd from the glooms of Salem's humble plain?
And mourns amidst the fair Sultana train;
Will Zulpha's virgin hear the hopeless sigh,
Breath'd from the glooms of Salem's humble plain?
Whilst Spahan's wealthy sons with rapture own
What all confess, that none like thee are fair;
Can I, possest of tender love alone,
Touch thy soft bosom with my soul's despair?
What all confess, that none like thee are fair;
Can I, possest of tender love alone,
Touch thy soft bosom with my soul's despair?
Wild as the gloomy Caspian's thund'ring wave,
Thought urging thought along my bosom glows;
Thy smiles alone the sinking wretch can save,
And lull the storm that wrecks him, to Repose.
Thought urging thought along my bosom glows;
Thy smiles alone the sinking wretch can save,
And lull the storm that wrecks him, to Repose.
Can language paint what hapless love inspires!
Ev'n sighs are weak my anguish to impart:
I blush to tell thee all my vain desires:
Oh! read my wishes in a bleeding heart!
Ev'n sighs are weak my anguish to impart:
I blush to tell thee all my vain desires:
Oh! read my wishes in a bleeding heart!
7
Vain is the wish I fear, to call thee mine!
When will the shepherd's long lost peace return?
Ah! why did fate disclose that form divine,
To bid my captive heart admire and mourn?
When will the shepherd's long lost peace return?
Ah! why did fate disclose that form divine,
To bid my captive heart admire and mourn?
Spare, my deep sorrow, gentle virgin spare,
Whose beauties fir'd me with the fond alarm;
Blame not my sighs, but blame the guilty star,
Which bounteous gave thee ev'ry grace to charm.
Whose beauties fir'd me with the fond alarm;
Blame not my sighs, but blame the guilty star,
Which bounteous gave thee ev'ry grace to charm.
Unlike the cruel proud insulting fair,
Whose frowns the lover's fruitless sighs reprove,
Thy dove-like nature will not scorn my pray'r,
But learn to pity where it cannot love.
Whose frowns the lover's fruitless sighs reprove,
Thy dove-like nature will not scorn my pray'r,
But learn to pity where it cannot love.
Forbear, ye blooming tyrants, to upbraid
Our humble sighs, with pride and hard disdain;
Is it a crime to love a beauteous maid?
Enough we suffer when we sigh in vain!
Our humble sighs, with pride and hard disdain;
Is it a crime to love a beauteous maid?
Enough we suffer when we sigh in vain!
The swains behold my heart with anguish stung,
Mark its wild tumults at thy magic name;
Pitying they hear my hurry'd fault'ring tongue,
And see me tremble at a rival flame.
Mark its wild tumults at thy magic name;
Pitying they hear my hurry'd fault'ring tongue,
And see me tremble at a rival flame.
8
In vain I strive to hide my jealous fears,
Nature's still voice how eloquent, how strong!
Confusion, blushes, sighs and starting tears,
Paint with more force than all the pow'rs of song.
Nature's still voice how eloquent, how strong!
Confusion, blushes, sighs and starting tears,
Paint with more force than all the pow'rs of song.
Fix'd to forget thy form was ever dear,
In wan despondence to these shades I stray'd;
Alas! thine image still pursues me here,
Still haunts me through the solitary glade.
In wan despondence to these shades I stray'd;
Alas! thine image still pursues me here,
Still haunts me through the solitary glade.
Thus from the hunter wings the wounded hart;
But lo! not death his light'ning feet elude:
Firm on his purpled side the deadly dart
Stings as he bounds along, and drinks his blood.
But lo! not death his light'ning feet elude:
Firm on his purpled side the deadly dart
Stings as he bounds along, and drinks his blood.
| Persian love elegies | |