Queen Berengaria's Courtesy, and Other Poems By the Lady E. Stuart Wortley. In Three Vols |
 | I, II, III. |
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STANZAS
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 | Queen Berengaria's Courtesy, and Other Poems |  |
STANZAS
[Hope! Hope! I dreamed I had exiled thee]
Hope! Hope! I dreamed I had exiled thee,
And all thy flattering Circe train.
“Begone!” I cried, then calm and free,
I shall forget my bosomed pain.
And all thy flattering Circe train.
“Begone!” I cried, then calm and free,
I shall forget my bosomed pain.
And Peace—the Halcyon of the Soul
Shall surely so be gently won,
(When its wild waves forbear to roll)
To rest its lulled, smooth streams upon!
Shall surely so be gently won,
(When its wild waves forbear to roll)
To rest its lulled, smooth streams upon!
179
Then shall my feelings grow so calm
In their subdued and silenced flow,
That softest Quiet's honeyed balm
Shall soothe away all weary woe!
In their subdued and silenced flow,
That softest Quiet's honeyed balm
Shall soothe away all weary woe!
Hope—thus I pondered—weak and blind!
A sweet voice echoed every word,
Alas! it did not strike my mind
That still 't was thy voice that I heard.
A sweet voice echoed every word,
Alas! it did not strike my mind
That still 't was thy voice that I heard.
I pondered thus and planned—and caught
Thy while thy softest loveliest beam,
Alas! it did not strike my thought
That thou didst still prompt every dream.
Thy while thy softest loveliest beam,
Alas! it did not strike my thought
That thou didst still prompt every dream.
And thou 'rt as likely to depart
And leave my Soul once more forlorn,
And break on this slight wheel—my heart
As though on haughtiest dreams 't was borne.
And leave my Soul once more forlorn,
And break on this slight wheel—my heart
As though on haughtiest dreams 't was borne.
180
Then if I must thy victim fall,
Clasp round me all thy radiant chains,
Oh! let me share the pleasures all,
If I must bear and brook the pains!
Clasp round me all thy radiant chains,
Oh! let me share the pleasures all,
If I must bear and brook the pains!
Still—whether in the Future time
We look for Happiness or Peace—
Seeking to Joy's sunned heights to climb,
Or asking but that pangs should cease—
We look for Happiness or Peace—
Seeking to Joy's sunned heights to climb,
Or asking but that pangs should cease—
Whether we weave bright schemes and blest,
Or wait till Death wipes every tear—
Sighing for rapture—or for rest,
'T is thy voice—thy voice that we hear!
Or wait till Death wipes every tear—
Sighing for rapture—or for rest,
'T is thy voice—thy voice that we hear!
And long suspense—or feverish strife—
May be our portion and our part—
These make an agony of Life—
These make a ruin of the heart.
May be our portion and our part—
These make an agony of Life—
These make a ruin of the heart.
181
Here—Disappointment's strokes descend,
There—Death himself seems to recede,
When he should come all griefs to end,
How oft he leaves the heart to bleed!
There—Death himself seems to recede,
When he should come all griefs to end,
How oft he leaves the heart to bleed!
How oft he leaves the heart to ache,
When he should come to hush its pain,
While hearts hope-winged he speeds to o'ertake,
And binds them in his frozen chain!
When he should come to hush its pain,
While hearts hope-winged he speeds to o'ertake,
And binds them in his frozen chain!
Oh! Hope! all thought of future days
Would I now willingly resign—
Nor seek with fond onlooking gaze
To make that hidden future mine!
Would I now willingly resign—
Nor seek with fond onlooking gaze
To make that hidden future mine!
But if thou wilt with strange stealth glide
Into the deep heart's chambers lone,
With human nature's self allied—
Then—then, Oh! Hope! be all mine own!
Into the deep heart's chambers lone,
With human nature's self allied—
Then—then, Oh! Hope! be all mine own!
182
Thus, if I must thy victim fall—
Wreathe round me all thy richest chains,
Oh! let me snatch the pleasures all
If I indeed must share—the pains!
Wreathe round me all thy richest chains,
Oh! let me snatch the pleasures all
If I indeed must share—the pains!
| Queen Berengaria's Courtesy, and Other Poems | |