Queen Berengaria's Courtesy, and Other Poems By the Lady E. Stuart Wortley. In Three Vols |
 | I, II, III. |
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FORGIVE ME. |
 | Queen Berengaria's Courtesy, and Other Poems |  |
FORGIVE ME.
Forgive me that I bless thee still,
While thou doomest me to woe.
Alas! Hope's smile, and flush, and thrill,
I never more may know!
While thou doomest me to woe.
Alas! Hope's smile, and flush, and thrill,
I never more may know!
My heart is ashes, and my soul,
Crushed by this mortal ill;
My thought is as a withered scroll,
And yet I bless thee still.
Crushed by this mortal ill;
My thought is as a withered scroll,
And yet I bless thee still.
58
Since thou hast ceased to love, perchance,
This deep affection's strength,
Which speaks in ev'ry word and glance,
May rouse thy hate at length!
This deep affection's strength,
Which speaks in ev'ry word and glance,
May rouse thy hate at length!
Perchance thou wouldst far rather find
A wrathful mood in me;
A clouded soul, an altered mind,
Than this fidelity.
A wrathful mood in me;
A clouded soul, an altered mind,
Than this fidelity.
A heart as fickle as thine own,
That may no firmness know;
And like thine own too cold as stone—
I would it might be so!
That may no firmness know;
And like thine own too cold as stone—
I would it might be so!
A heart that to the winds should fling
Its griefs, from fetters freed,
And spread inconstancy's light wing—
But crave I this indeed?
Its griefs, from fetters freed,
And spread inconstancy's light wing—
But crave I this indeed?
59
No! no! far better 'tis to mourn,
Victim of heaviest ill,
Than thus sink bowed in dark self-scorn—
No! let me bless thee still!
Victim of heaviest ill,
Than thus sink bowed in dark self-scorn—
No! let me bless thee still!
Despite thy falsehood and thy pride,
Thy coldness or thy hate;
Oh! faithless one, whate'er betide,
I bless thee long and late!
Thy coldness or thy hate;
Oh! faithless one, whate'er betide,
I bless thee long and late!
Better in lonely grief to weep—
In hopeless pangs to pine—
Than change this full heart, true and deep,
For one as false as thine!
In hopeless pangs to pine—
Than change this full heart, true and deep,
For one as false as thine!
Forgive me that I bless thee while
Thou doom'st me thus to woe—
Alas! Hope's raptured thrill and smile
I never more may know!
Thou doom'st me thus to woe—
Alas! Hope's raptured thrill and smile
I never more may know!
60
This meek reproach of unchanged love
Thou must—thou must forgive—
When Passion's power I cease to prove,
Know I must cease to live!
Thou must—thou must forgive—
When Passion's power I cease to prove,
Know I must cease to live!
Forgive me that I bless thee still,
While thou doom'st me to woe!
I must my faithful part fulfil,
As thou thy false—below!
While thou doom'st me to woe!
I must my faithful part fulfil,
As thou thy false—below!
| Queen Berengaria's Courtesy, and Other Poems | |