Queen Berengaria's Courtesy, and Other Poems By the Lady E. Stuart Wortley. In Three Vols |
 | I, II, III. |
|
ONE WORD. |
|
 | Queen Berengaria's Courtesy, and Other Poems |  |
243
ONE WORD.
One Word! and on that little word
My life—my very Soul seems poured;
Farewell!—but yet it soothes our woes,
That each the other's secret knows.
My life—my very Soul seems poured;
Farewell!—but yet it soothes our woes,
That each the other's secret knows.
Oh! treasure thou for evermore,
Within thy faithful bosom's core,
That precious secret of my Soul,
While circling hours progressing roll!
Within thy faithful bosom's core,
That precious secret of my Soul,
While circling hours progressing roll!
Treasure that secret in thy heart—
Beloved and trusted that thou art!
As I shall thine, with jealous care,
Come smiling joy, or stern despair!
Beloved and trusted that thou art!
As I shall thine, with jealous care,
Come smiling joy, or stern despair!
244
One Word! and that one little word,
Strikes, deeply strikes each feeling's chord:
Farewell! but, Oh! it soothes our woes,
That each the other's secret knows!
Strikes, deeply strikes each feeling's chord:
Farewell! but, Oh! it soothes our woes,
That each the other's secret knows!
Enough! ere Time perchance hath run
Through many a rising, setting Sun,
We shall again in gladness meet,
Once past—e'en absence' days seem fleet.
Through many a rising, setting Sun,
We shall again in gladness meet,
Once past—e'en absence' days seem fleet.
Enough! while dark days intervene,
And gloom and grief cloud all the scene,
Love in our Souls shall strengthened be,
And perfected through constancy!
And gloom and grief cloud all the scene,
Love in our Souls shall strengthened be,
And perfected through constancy!
His power Divine is poorly shown,
His wondrous might is little known,
When only cloudless skies are spread
Above his crowned and starry head!
His wondrous might is little known,
When only cloudless skies are spread
Above his crowned and starry head!
245
When round him storm and midnight roar,
He spreads his plumes on high to soar,
So the eagle springs at once to Heaven,
When from his earth-built eyrie driven.
He spreads his plumes on high to soar,
So the eagle springs at once to Heaven,
When from his earth-built eyrie driven.
Content with lowlier range perchance
When basking in joy's sunny glance;
When from its peaceful haunts expelled
How vast its flight's unmeasured field!
When basking in joy's sunny glance;
When from its peaceful haunts expelled
How vast its flight's unmeasured field!
Love! Love! when sorrow and when care
For thee a couch of thorns prepare—
How dost thou win from pain and strife
A yet diviner, deeper life!
For thee a couch of thorns prepare—
How dost thou win from pain and strife
A yet diviner, deeper life!
Till Absence hath applied her test
Unto the fond and feeling breast—
How little can its truth be known,
By that 'tis proved, and that alone!
Unto the fond and feeling breast—
How little can its truth be known,
By that 'tis proved, and that alone!
246
Oh! while thou'rt ever at my side,
I may not feel a tender pride
In fostering still with faithful zeal
The love it is my boast to feel!
I may not feel a tender pride
In fostering still with faithful zeal
The love it is my boast to feel!
Who could but love thee fondly well
When with thee, deeply blessed, they dwell;
Who could do otherwise than love—
Who near thee breathe, and live and move!
When with thee, deeply blessed, they dwell;
Who could do otherwise than love—
Who near thee breathe, and live and move!
But time and absence may efface
An unfixed love's fast failing trace—
Time, time and absence may remove
All but a life-enwoven love!
An unfixed love's fast failing trace—
Time, time and absence may remove
All but a life-enwoven love!
And time and absence now shall show
How well in Solitude and woe
Our hearts shall keep their cherished Vow,
Enough!—I fear not—nor shalt thou!
How well in Solitude and woe
Our hearts shall keep their cherished Vow,
Enough!—I fear not—nor shalt thou!
247
'Tis done—we part—for thee, for thee—
And for thy stainless constancy,
Can I undoubting answer now—
For me and mine, Love! answer thou!
And for thy stainless constancy,
Can I undoubting answer now—
For me and mine, Love! answer thou!
So well each other's deepest hearts
We know through all their throbbing parts,
Each can the other's truth attest,
With confidence unclouded bless'd!
We know through all their throbbing parts,
Each can the other's truth attest,
With confidence unclouded bless'd!
So well each other's hearts we know,
So blent our thoughts smooth currents flow,
Each can with fearless tone reply
For the Beloved One's constancy!
So blent our thoughts smooth currents flow,
Each can with fearless tone reply
For the Beloved One's constancy!
Aye! mirrored in each other's breast
In hallowed and unbroken rest,
Our feelings and our Souls are shown
There deeper stamped than in our own!
In hallowed and unbroken rest,
Our feelings and our Souls are shown
There deeper stamped than in our own!
248
Clear mirrored in each other's hearts
Through powerful Love's endearing arts,
Our Minds, our very Souls are shown
There deeper stamped than even our own!
Through powerful Love's endearing arts,
Our Minds, our very Souls are shown
There deeper stamped than even our own!
Farewell! farewell! on that one word,
My life—my fainting Soul is poured;
Farewell—Oh! linger not—on—on—
Or all thy courage will be gone!
My life—my fainting Soul is poured;
Farewell—Oh! linger not—on—on—
Or all thy courage will be gone!
Farewell! Oh, tear thyself away,
Or here thou must for ever stay;
If thou but list to Love's fond call,
Thou'lt ne'er have strength to go at all!
Or here thou must for ever stay;
If thou but list to Love's fond call,
Thou'lt ne'er have strength to go at all!
Farewell! farewell! on that one word
Our lives—our very Souls are poured,
But yet it soothes our bitter woes,
That each the other's Secret knows!
Our lives—our very Souls are poured,
But yet it soothes our bitter woes,
That each the other's Secret knows!
| Queen Berengaria's Courtesy, and Other Poems | |