 | Poems by Mrs. Opie |  |
3
THE DYING DAUGHTER TO HER MOTHER.
Mother! when these unsteady lines
Thy long averted eyes shall see,
This hand that writes, this heart that pines,
Will cold, quite cold, and tranquil be.
Thy long averted eyes shall see,
This hand that writes, this heart that pines,
Will cold, quite cold, and tranquil be.
That guilty child so long disowned
Can then, blest thought! no more offend;
And, shouldst thou deem my crimes atoned,
O deign my orphan to befriend:......
Can then, blest thought! no more offend;
And, shouldst thou deem my crimes atoned,
O deign my orphan to befriend:......
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That orphan, who with trembling hand
To thee will give my dying prayer;....
Canst thou my dying prayer withstand,
And from my child withhold thy care?
To thee will give my dying prayer;....
Canst thou my dying prayer withstand,
And from my child withhold thy care?
O raise the veil which hides her cheek,
Nor start her mother's face to see,
But let her look thy love bespeak,....
For once that face was dear to thee.
Nor start her mother's face to see,
But let her look thy love bespeak,....
For once that face was dear to thee.
Gaze on,....and thou 'lt perchance forget
The long, the mournful lapse of years,
Thy couch with tears of anguish wet,
And e'en the guilt which caused those tears.
The long, the mournful lapse of years,
Thy couch with tears of anguish wet,
And e'en the guilt which caused those tears.
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And in my pure and artless child
Thou 'lt think her mother meets thy view;
Such as she was when life first smiled,
And guilt by name alone she knew.
Thou 'lt think her mother meets thy view;
Such as she was when life first smiled,
And guilt by name alone she knew.
Ah! then I see thee o'er her charms
A look of fond affection cast;
I see thee clasp her in thine arms,
And in the present lose the past.
A look of fond affection cast;
I see thee clasp her in thine arms,
And in the present lose the past.
But soon the dear illusion flies;
The sad reality returns;
My crimes again to memory rise,
And, ah! in vain my orphan mourns.
The sad reality returns;
My crimes again to memory rise,
And, ah! in vain my orphan mourns.
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Till suddenly some keen remorse,
Some deep regret, her claims shall aid,
For wrath that held too long its course,
For words of peace too long delayed.
Some deep regret, her claims shall aid,
For wrath that held too long its course,
For words of peace too long delayed.
For pardon (most, alas! denied
When pardon might have snatched from shame)
And kindness, hadst thou kindness tried,
Had checked my guilt, and saved my fame.
When pardon might have snatched from shame)
And kindness, hadst thou kindness tried,
Had checked my guilt, and saved my fame.
And then thou 'lt wish, as I do now,
Thy hand my humble bed had smoothed,
Wiped the chill moisture off my brow,
And all the wants of sickness soothed.
Thy hand my humble bed had smoothed,
Wiped the chill moisture off my brow,
And all the wants of sickness soothed.
7
For, oh! the means to sooth my pain
My poverty has still denied;
And thou wilt wish, ah! wish in vain,
Thy riches had those means supplied.
My poverty has still denied;
And thou wilt wish, ah! wish in vain,
Thy riches had those means supplied.
Thou 'lt wish, with keen repentance wrung,
I'd closed my eyes upon thy breast,
Expiring while thy faltering tongue
Pardon in kindest tones expressed.
I'd closed my eyes upon thy breast,
Expiring while thy faltering tongue
Pardon in kindest tones expressed.
O sounds which I must never hear!
Through years of woe my fond desire!
O mother, spite of all most dear!
Must I unblest by thee expire?
Through years of woe my fond desire!
O mother, spite of all most dear!
Must I unblest by thee expire?
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Thy love alone I call to mind,
And all thy past disdain forget,....
Each keen reproach, each frown unkind,
That crushed my hopes when last we met.
And all thy past disdain forget,....
Each keen reproach, each frown unkind,
That crushed my hopes when last we met.
But when I saw that angry brow,
Both health and youth were still my own:
O mother! couldst thou see me now,
Thou wouldst not have the heart to frown.
Both health and youth were still my own:
O mother! couldst thou see me now,
Thou wouldst not have the heart to frown.
But see! my orphan's cheek displays
Both youth, and health's carnation dyes,
Such as on mine in happier days
So fondly charmed thy partial eyes.
Both youth, and health's carnation dyes,
Such as on mine in happier days
So fondly charmed thy partial eyes.
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Grief o'er her bloom a veil now draws,
Grief her loved parent's pangs to see;
And when thou think'st upon the cause,
That paleness will have charms for thee:
Grief her loved parent's pangs to see;
And when thou think'st upon the cause,
That paleness will have charms for thee:
And thou wilt fondly press that cheek,
Bid happiness its bloom restore,
And thus in tenderest accents speak,
‘Sweet orphan, thou shalt mourn no more.’
Bid happiness its bloom restore,
And thus in tenderest accents speak,
‘Sweet orphan, thou shalt mourn no more.’
But wilt thou thus indulgent be?
O! am I not by hope beguiled?
The long long anger shown to me,
Say, will it not pursue my child?
O! am I not by hope beguiled?
The long long anger shown to me,
Say, will it not pursue my child?
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And must she suffer for my crime?
Ah! no!....forbid it, gracious Heaven!
And let thy goodness speed the time
When she'll be loved, and I forgiven!
Ah! no!....forbid it, gracious Heaven!
And let thy goodness speed the time
When she'll be loved, and I forgiven!
| Poems by Mrs. Opie | |