Poems of James Clarence Mangan (Many hitherto uncollected): Centenary edition: Edited, with preface and notes by D. J. O'Donoghue: Introduction by John Mitchel |
 | I. |
| II. |
| III. |
 | IV. |
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LOVE. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
 | Poems of James Clarence Mangan |  |
LOVE.
From Eternity the Course of Love was writ on leaves of Snow,
Hence it wanders like a vagrant when the Winds of Coldness blow,
And the Lamp of Love is pale and chill where Constancy is weak,
And the Lily comes to pine upon deserted Beauty's cheek.
Hence it wanders like a vagrant when the Winds of Coldness blow,
And the Lamp of Love is pale and chill where Constancy is weak,
And the Lily comes to pine upon deserted Beauty's cheek.
From Eternity the Might of Love was writ on leaves of Fire,
Hence the Soul of Love in spiral flames would mount for ever higher,
And the vermeil Sun of Eden won, leaves Hope no more to seek,
And the damask Rose ascends her throne on happy Beauty's cheek.
Hence the Soul of Love in spiral flames would mount for ever higher,
And the vermeil Sun of Eden won, leaves Hope no more to seek,
And the damask Rose ascends her throne on happy Beauty's cheek.
From Eternity the Fate of Love was writ on leaves of Gloom,
For the Night of its Decay must come, and Darkness build its tomb,
Then the Waste of Life, a Garden once, again is black and bleak,
And the Raven Tresses mourningly o'ershadow Beauty's cheek.
For the Night of its Decay must come, and Darkness build its tomb,
Then the Waste of Life, a Garden once, again is black and bleak,
And the Raven Tresses mourningly o'ershadow Beauty's cheek.
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O! the joys of Love are sweet and false—are sorrows in disguise,
Like the cheating wealth of golden Eve, ere Night breaks up the skies.
If the graves of Earth were opened—O! if Hades could but speak,
What a world of ruined souls would curse the sheen of Beauty's cheek!
Like the cheating wealth of golden Eve, ere Night breaks up the skies.
If the graves of Earth were opened—O! if Hades could but speak,
What a world of ruined souls would curse the sheen of Beauty's cheek!
| Poems of James Clarence Mangan | |