Queen Berengaria's Courtesy, and Other Poems By the Lady E. Stuart Wortley. In Three Vols |
 | I, II, III. |
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HOPE, I ABJURE THEE! |
 | Queen Berengaria's Courtesy, and Other Poems |  |
HOPE, I ABJURE THEE!
Hope, I abjure thee!—thou to me hast beenThe agony of agonies!—the scene
Of life for me is with thy wrecks strewn o'er,
Thickly as weeds upon the Ocean's Shore—
Now cold indifference soon shall fence me round,
From thee and all thy weapons that do wound
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Antagonizing Peace, refuse to kill,
Cherishing life within the bosom's core,
To torture and to agonize it—more!
Hope, I abjure thee!—fain would I resign
Each smile—each tone—each witching charm of thine!
Tormentor! dread tormentor—cherub fiend,
That wind'st thyself into the melting mind,
To work Destruction's worst!—now fare thee well.
Hope! I abjure thee, and had rather dwell,
False Halcyon! with the hyæna in his lair,
Or fury of the hunted tigress dare—
Or with the hungered lion make my couch—
Or to the armed alligator crouch—
Or stay with venomed angry scorpions pent—
Than feel thine ecstacy of languishment—
Than dare with thee to strive, with thee to cope!—
Thou Halcyon-Hydra—fearful—fatal Hope!
| Queen Berengaria's Courtesy, and Other Poems | |