Queen Berengaria's Courtesy, and Other Poems By the Lady E. Stuart Wortley. In Three Vols |
 | I, II, III. |
|
OH! OFTTIMES IN THE FESTAL HALL. |
|
 | Queen Berengaria's Courtesy, and Other Poems |  |
207
OH! OFTTIMES IN THE FESTAL HALL.
Oh! ofttimes in the Festal Hall,
Oft at the blazing Festival,
When music, dancing, flowers, and light
Make a magic hour and bright,
Thoughts that spring from darkest mood
On my startled mind intrude,
Not such thought of frowning gloom
E'en should spring from neighbouring Tomb.
Oft at the blazing Festival,
When music, dancing, flowers, and light
Make a magic hour and bright,
Thoughts that spring from darkest mood
On my startled mind intrude,
Not such thought of frowning gloom
E'en should spring from neighbouring Tomb.
There 'mid all the pomp and blaze,
Ghastly visions pain my gaze;
From the youthful cloudless brow,
Perfect in its polished snow,
Fancy strips the glowing wreath,
And pales it to the hues of death;
Steals the glad smile from the lips,
And darkens them with Death's eclipse!
Ghastly visions pain my gaze;
From the youthful cloudless brow,
Perfect in its polished snow,
Fancy strips the glowing wreath,
And pales it to the hues of death;
Steals the glad smile from the lips,
And darkens them with Death's eclipse!
208
So at the joyous Festival,
In the loud harp-resounding Hall,
Thus thus do funeral thoughts intrude
On my mind's capricious mood,
And sun-blazed stones, flowered broideries fair'
Glittering—gleaming proudly there,
Fancy turns to shrouds and worms,
Making foul the fairest forms!
In the loud harp-resounding Hall,
Thus thus do funeral thoughts intrude
On my mind's capricious mood,
And sun-blazed stones, flowered broideries fair'
Glittering—gleaming proudly there,
Fancy turns to shrouds and worms,
Making foul the fairest forms!
Fancy only playeth here
The part of prophet and of seer,
For soon, full soon these forms so bright,
Richly decked on festal night—
Shall be laid within the mould,
Grim and ghastly, stark and cold;
Fancy only playeth here
The mournful part of sage and seer!
The part of prophet and of seer,
For soon, full soon these forms so bright,
Richly decked on festal night—
Shall be laid within the mould,
Grim and ghastly, stark and cold;
Fancy only playeth here
The mournful part of sage and seer!
Soon the front of stainless snow,
The stainless smiling sunny brow,
Shall forget its witching grace—
Death shall every charm efface;
Soon the fair cheek's rosy hues,
Death's dark paleness shall suffuse,
Every smile shall pass away,
Nor the trace of one shall stay!
The stainless smiling sunny brow,
209
Death shall every charm efface;
Soon the fair cheek's rosy hues,
Death's dark paleness shall suffuse,
Every smile shall pass away,
Nor the trace of one shall stay!
I look upon the joyous throngs,
While speed the dances and the songs,
And dream, unchecked by faultering fears,
Of the sure-oncoming years—
These revellers soon must soundly rest,
Where the host soothes not the guest,
Where the icy feast is spread,
The feast of Death and of the Dead!
While speed the dances and the songs,
And dream, unchecked by faultering fears,
Of the sure-oncoming years—
These revellers soon must soundly rest,
Where the host soothes not the guest,
Where the icy feast is spread,
The feast of Death and of the Dead!
Smiles not Old Time upon his way,
To see these dreamers sport and play?
Thousands hath he seen do thus,
Like little dew drops tremulous,
Sparkling on a leaf awhile,
In the glowing sunbeams' smile;
Then swept off for evermore,
Their Brightness and their Being o'er!
To see these dreamers sport and play?
Thousands hath he seen do thus,
Like little dew drops tremulous,
210
In the glowing sunbeams' smile;
Then swept off for evermore,
Their Brightness and their Being o'er!
| Queen Berengaria's Courtesy, and Other Poems | |