 | Poems on Several Occasions |  |
115
GODWIN and LUCY.
The midnight bell had freedom knoll'd
To Ghosts, an hour or more,
When black Despair to Lucy's tomb
The youthful Godwin bore.
To Ghosts, an hour or more,
When black Despair to Lucy's tomb
The youthful Godwin bore.
Scarce sixteen springs the lovely maid
Had seen bedeck the plains;
Scarce twice ten summer suns had warm'd
The blood in Godwin's veins.
Had seen bedeck the plains;
Scarce twice ten summer suns had warm'd
The blood in Godwin's veins.
All gentle she as is the dove,
Not Beauty's self more fair;
In manly virtues with the youth,
No youth might then compare.
Not Beauty's self more fair;
In manly virtues with the youth,
No youth might then compare.
Her cruel sire—hard was his heart!—
Upon their passion frown'd;
Poor Lucy pin'd, and soon she lay,
In shrouded vestment bound.
Upon their passion frown'd;
Poor Lucy pin'd, and soon she lay,
In shrouded vestment bound.
Can Parents Being give, yet rend
Their Children's hearts in twain?
Of Parent Heav'n, ye Parents learn,
There Love and Mercy reign.
Their Children's hearts in twain?
Of Parent Heav'n, ye Parents learn,
There Love and Mercy reign.
The cloister'd Aisle sad Godwin seeks,
Where Lucy breathless lay;
The cloister'd Aisle aloud repeats
Poor Godwin's sad dismay.
Where Lucy breathless lay;
The cloister'd Aisle aloud repeats
Poor Godwin's sad dismay.
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Mid crouds of gliding pale-ey'd Ghosts,
Fearless he pass'd along;
The screech-owl tunes his boding throat,
To hail the airy throng.
Fearless he pass'd along;
The screech-owl tunes his boding throat,
To hail the airy throng.
A darklin cloud of bluish gleam,
Inwraps each sheeted sprite;
Save Godwin's, sure no breast had then
But thrill'd with cold affright.
Inwraps each sheeted sprite;
Save Godwin's, sure no breast had then
But thrill'd with cold affright.
On him their hollow eyes they fix,
They shake their heads and groan;
And tears—cou'd airy Beings weep—
Their feelings had made known.
They shake their heads and groan;
And tears—cou'd airy Beings weep—
Their feelings had made known.
“Why thus, with pitying looks, a wretch,
“Like Godwin do you view?—
“A few short moments more, and I
“Shall be as one of you.
“Like Godwin do you view?—
“A few short moments more, and I
“Shall be as one of you.
“My journey's end is Lucy's tomb,
“There by her clay-cold side
“I'll breathe my last, in death at least
“Lucy shall be my bride.”
“There by her clay-cold side
“I'll breathe my last, in death at least
“Lucy shall be my bride.”
Wide yawn'd the tomb: At this dread hour
A slave with cautious tread,
And impious heart had hither stol'n
To rob the sacred dead.
A slave with cautious tread,
And impious heart had hither stol'n
To rob the sacred dead.
Rich trinkets—Godwin's valu'd gifts
Were in her coffin laid;
To have 'em there interr'd—the last
Request poor Lucy made.
Were in her coffin laid;
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Request poor Lucy made.
Alarm'd, and cheated of his prey,
The Robber wing'd his flight;
From Godwin's wild revenge conceal'd
By the dark veil of Night.
The Robber wing'd his flight;
From Godwin's wild revenge conceal'd
By the dark veil of Night.
From the Hell-nurtur'd thirst of gain,
Cannot the sacred grave,
Or the more sacred clay within
Nor Heaven's dread vengeance save!—
Cannot the sacred grave,
Or the more sacred clay within
Nor Heaven's dread vengeance save!—
To touch the icy corps!—to view
What soon we all must be!—
Hard is the heart, where gleams no ray
Of soft Humanity.
What soon we all must be!—
Hard is the heart, where gleams no ray
Of soft Humanity.
He saw his Lucy, all bestrew'd
With flow'rs of fragrant breath,
Sweet tho' each flow'r—how faint to that
Sweet Lilly—cropt by Death.
With flow'rs of fragrant breath,
Sweet tho' each flow'r—how faint to that
Sweet Lilly—cropt by Death.
In shrouded vestment—awful—rob'd,
She still on Godwin smil'd;
“Ah, cruel Sire, whose flinty heart
“Cou'd murder such a child!
She still on Godwin smil'd;
“Ah, cruel Sire, whose flinty heart
“Cou'd murder such a child!
“Cou'd you that face, where Heav'n was seen,
“All ghastly now behold?
“That breast, whose pulse for you beat warm,
“Now motionless and cold?
“All ghastly now behold?
“That breast, whose pulse for you beat warm,
“Now motionless and cold?
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“Those eyes, which like the orient sun,
“All mild, yet heav'nly bright,
“Cou'd you—Oh, cou'd you see 'em set
“And hid in endless night?
“All mild, yet heav'nly bright,
“Cou'd you—Oh, cou'd you see 'em set
“And hid in endless night?
“Those lips, whence truth and sweetness flow'd,
“Cou'd you, without a groan,
“Here view—and, like your flinty heart,
“Not straight congeal to stone?”
“Cou'd you, without a groan,
“Here view—and, like your flinty heart,
“Not straight congeal to stone?”
Trembling he knelt—Where Lucy's corps
For worms a banquet lay;
He prest her lips—but felt 'em not
Cold as the lifeless clay.
For worms a banquet lay;
He prest her lips—but felt 'em not
Cold as the lifeless clay.
Her ling'ring soul, by Love detain'd,
Still flutter'd round her heart,
Loath from that spot, where Godwin's form
Was graven, to depart.
Still flutter'd round her heart,
Loath from that spot, where Godwin's form
Was graven, to depart.
Surpriz'd, again her lips he prest,
To life renew'd she wakes;
Amazement wild from forth her lips
In half-form'd accents breaks.
To life renew'd she wakes;
Amazement wild from forth her lips
In half-form'd accents breaks.
“Where am I?”—“Here in Godwin's arms,”
The youth enraptur'd cries,
And to a place of safety straight
Snatches his new-wak'd prize.
The youth enraptur'd cries,
And to a place of safety straight
Snatches his new-wak'd prize.
Low at her wond'ring Parent's feet,
Next morning Lucy kneels;
And Godwin's constancy and love,
With tears of joy reveals.
Next morning Lucy kneels;
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With tears of joy reveals.
“Oh, Mercy, Mercy! honor'd Sire,
“Heal your poor Lucy's woes;—
“Nor let again the dark cold tomb,
“Your shrouded child inclose.”—
“Heal your poor Lucy's woes;—
“Nor let again the dark cold tomb,
“Your shrouded child inclose.”—
Hanging on Lucy's neck, her Sire
Repentant now appears;
Eager he clasps her—sobs his joy,
And pardon begs with tears.—
Repentant now appears;
Eager he clasps her—sobs his joy,
And pardon begs with tears.—
“May Time grow old, ere the dark tomb
“Again my child inclose;
“Godwin is your's, and you are his,
“Then banish all your woes.
“Again my child inclose;
“Godwin is your's, and you are his,
“Then banish all your woes.
“All good, all duteous as thou art,
“How cou'd I prove unkind?—
“How to your tears and pray'rs be deaf
“As is the passing wind!
“How cou'd I prove unkind?—
“How to your tears and pray'rs be deaf
“As is the passing wind!
“Had not kind Mercy to these arms,
“Once more my Lucy giv'n,
“Conscience, and stinging black Remorse,
“My hard, hard heart had riven.”—
“Once more my Lucy giv'n,
“Conscience, and stinging black Remorse,
“My hard, hard heart had riven.”—
He bent his knee, he rais'd his eye,
To Heav'n in grateful pray'r;
And to the shrine enraptur'd waits
The happy, destin'd pair.—
To Heav'n in grateful pray'r;
And to the shrine enraptur'd waits
The happy, destin'd pair.—
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The hoary Priest, who but yestreen
Lucy's sad Requiem sigh'd;
With tears of joy his blessing pours
On Lucy—now a Bride.
Lucy's sad Requiem sigh'd;
With tears of joy his blessing pours
On Lucy—now a Bride.
Scarce had the sun one circling course
Thro' the horizon sped,
Ere Lucy deep intomb'd it saw,
And in her bridal Bed.
Thro' the horizon sped,
Ere Lucy deep intomb'd it saw,
And in her bridal Bed.
| Poems on Several Occasions | |