 | Elegiac sonnets, and other poems |  |
106
LYDIA.
O'er the high down the night-wind blew,
And as it chill and howling past,
The Juniper and scathed Yew
Shrunk from the bitter blast.
And as it chill and howling past,
The Juniper and scathed Yew
Shrunk from the bitter blast.
Yet on the sea-mark's chalky height,
The rude memorial of the Dane,
Thro' many a drear and stormy night
Had hapless Lydia lain.
The rude memorial of the Dane,
Thro' many a drear and stormy night
Had hapless Lydia lain.
When I a lonely wanderer too,
Who loved to climb and gaze around,
Even as the Autumnal Sun withdrew,
The poor forlorn one found.
Who loved to climb and gaze around,
Even as the Autumnal Sun withdrew,
The poor forlorn one found.
107
“Ah! wherefore, maiden, sit you so,
“The cold wind raving round your breast,
“While in the villages below
“All are retired to rest?
“The cold wind raving round your breast,
“While in the villages below
“All are retired to rest?
“The fires are out, no lights appear
“But the red flames of burning lime,
“None but the Horseman's ghost is here
“At this pale evening time.”
“But the red flames of burning lime,
“None but the Horseman's ghost is here
“At this pale evening time.”
With wild yet vacant eye, the maid
Gazed on me, and a mournful smile
On her wan sunken features play'd,
As thus she spoke the while:
Gazed on me, and a mournful smile
On her wan sunken features play'd,
As thus she spoke the while:
“Yes, to their beds my friends are gone,
“They have no grief; they slumber soon;
“But 'tis for me to wait alone
“To meet the midnight Moon.
“They have no grief; they slumber soon;
“But 'tis for me to wait alone
“To meet the midnight Moon.
108
“The Moon will rise anon, and trace
“Her silver pathway on the sea;
“I saw it from this very place,
“When Edward went from me.
“Her silver pathway on the sea;
“I saw it from this very place,
“When Edward went from me.
“Tho' like a mist the Horseman's ghost
“From yon deep dell I often see,
“Glide o'er the mountain to the coast,
“It gives no fear to me.
“From yon deep dell I often see,
“Glide o'er the mountain to the coast,
“It gives no fear to me.
“I rather dread the clouds that rise
“Like towers and turrets from afar,
“And swelling high, obscure the skies,
“And every shining star.
“Like towers and turrets from afar,
“And swelling high, obscure the skies,
“And every shining star.
“For then I can no longer trace
“That long bright pathway in the sea,
“Where Edward bade me mark the place
“When last he went from me!
“That long bright pathway in the sea,
“Where Edward bade me mark the place
“When last he went from me!
109
“'Twas here, when loth to go, he gave
“To his poor Girl his last adieu;
“He mark'd the moonlight on the wave,
“And bade me mark it too.
“To his poor Girl his last adieu;
“He mark'd the moonlight on the wave,
“And bade me mark it too.
“And, Lydia!—then he sighing cried,
“When the tenth time that light so clear
“Shine on the Sea—whate'er betide,
“Thy Edward will be here.
“When the tenth time that light so clear
“Shine on the Sea—whate'er betide,
“Thy Edward will be here.
“Since then I watch with eager eyes,
(“Nor feel I cold, or wind or rain,)
“Till the tenth blessed moon arise,
“And Edward comes again.”
(“Nor feel I cold, or wind or rain,)
“Till the tenth blessed moon arise,
“And Edward comes again.”
“Ah, wretched Girl!” I would have cried,
But why awaken her to pain?
“Long since thy wandering Lover died,
“The moon returns in vain!
But why awaken her to pain?
“Long since thy wandering Lover died,
“The moon returns in vain!
110
“Tho' with her wane, thy visions fade,
“Yet hopest thou, till again she shine?”
—The hopes of half the World, poor Maid!
Are not more rational than thine!
“Yet hopest thou, till again she shine?”
—The hopes of half the World, poor Maid!
Are not more rational than thine!
| Elegiac sonnets, and other poems | |