Queen Berengaria's Courtesy, and Other Poems By the Lady E. Stuart Wortley. In Three Vols |
 | I, II, III. |
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FROM “INEZ,” A MS. POEM. |
 | Queen Berengaria's Courtesy, and Other Poems |  |
421
FROM “INEZ,” A MS. POEM.
Of ye I ask—all ye who love—
How is it ye are strong to move,
Along Life's troubled, thorny way,
With Soul seared deep—fierce passion's prey?—
How is it ye are strong to move,
Along Life's troubled, thorny way,
With Soul seared deep—fierce passion's prey?—
While my quick heart doth beat and burn—
Fain, fain would I from others learn
How I may bear up 'gainst the strength
Of my devoted love, at length.
Fain, fain would I from others learn
How I may bear up 'gainst the strength
Of my devoted love, at length.
Since I am new to this great grief,
(From which there seemeth no relief!)
And gladly would I learn and know
The wisest way to bear this woe!
(From which there seemeth no relief!)
And gladly would I learn and know
The wisest way to bear this woe!
422
Since unto me, I own, it seems
One web of dark and burning dreams—
Dark—but yet fiery—like some cloud,
The Sunset's veil—the Lightning's shroud.
One web of dark and burning dreams—
Dark—but yet fiery—like some cloud,
The Sunset's veil—the Lightning's shroud.
Love!—Love!—I ne'er can think of thee,
As coloured by felicity:—
To thee I teach mine own dark Soul,
Where seas of eddying tumult roll!—
As coloured by felicity:—
To thee I teach mine own dark Soul,
Where seas of eddying tumult roll!—
Oh! tell me, tell me how to bear
The costly, but the deadly care—
All ye who love, and groan beneath
A sway as strong as that of Death!
The costly, but the deadly care—
All ye who love, and groan beneath
A sway as strong as that of Death!
I know—I feel there is no cure—
But tell me how I may endure!—
How drag ye through the livelong day,
Wishing its weight of hours away?
But tell me how I may endure!—
How drag ye through the livelong day,
Wishing its weight of hours away?
423
How stand ye 'gainst the incessant shocks
(As of deep waves against the rocks)
Of fretting thoughts for evermore,
Thrilling the heart's faint quiv'ring core?
(As of deep waves against the rocks)
Of fretting thoughts for evermore,
Thrilling the heart's faint quiv'ring core?
How do ye mantle and suppress—
In midst of all Love's strange distress—
The Sorrow that consumes and kills
The pang which nothing soothes or stills?
In midst of all Love's strange distress—
The Sorrow that consumes and kills
The pang which nothing soothes or stills?
How, how, while thrill your heart's deep chords,
Check ye the gush of burning words—
Like sparks struck from the electric chain—
The Passion-fountains' fiery rain?
Check ye the gush of burning words—
Like sparks struck from the electric chain—
The Passion-fountains' fiery rain?
How do you suffer Absence' pangs—
How brook ye Jealousy's sharp fangs—
How cope with all the throes intense
Of sharp Suspicions—stern Suspense?
How brook ye Jealousy's sharp fangs—
How cope with all the throes intense
Of sharp Suspicions—stern Suspense?
424
I struggle vainly 'gainst them all,
And surely must a victim fall
To all these lingering griefs at length,
Thus lavishing Life's lessening strength.
And surely must a victim fall
To all these lingering griefs at length,
Thus lavishing Life's lessening strength.
Teach me some secret way to bind,
The o'erpowering tempests of the mind;
Some way to conquer—to controul,
The impetuous workings of the soul.—
The o'erpowering tempests of the mind;
Some way to conquer—to controul,
The impetuous workings of the soul.—
For surely ye some way must know,
Who ever seem well skilled to throw
A veil o'er feelings, thoughts, and dreams—
Checked in their flow, like ice-bound streams.
Who ever seem well skilled to throw
A veil o'er feelings, thoughts, and dreams—
Checked in their flow, like ice-bound streams.
Teach me too how to check, to crush,
The thoughts, the dreams, that deepening rush
In one o'ermastering flood along,
Too deep, too mighty, and too strong.
The thoughts, the dreams, that deepening rush
In one o'ermastering flood along,
Too deep, too mighty, and too strong.
425
Tell me, and teach me too, I pray,
For pity's gentle sake, the way—
And let me learn from those who love,
How—crushed beneath that yoke, to move.—
For pity's gentle sake, the way—
And let me learn from those who love,
How—crushed beneath that yoke, to move.—
Away! weak thought!—it is in vain—
Heart shut on patience in thy pain—
Their teaching would but useless be—
First they must learn to love like me!
Heart shut on patience in thy pain—
Their teaching would but useless be—
First they must learn to love like me!
| Queen Berengaria's Courtesy, and Other Poems | |