Queen Berengaria's Courtesy, and Other Poems By the Lady E. Stuart Wortley. In Three Vols |
 | I, II, III. |
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THE TOMB'S REPROOF. |
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 | Queen Berengaria's Courtesy, and Other Poems |  |
THE TOMB'S REPROOF.
Speak! then dark tomb! speak to us sternly now,Life's heart-sick wayfarers, who ever bow
Beneath one dread but self-adjusted yoke,
How many chains hast thou not loosed and broke?
How many troubles calmed, and tortures cured?
For in thy clasp our peace is well assured,
And never can be wronged or shaken more
Though so uncertain and unfixed before—
Thou can'st bid sink—at once how still and low,
Within our heart that feverish feverish glow,
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Beside thee, seem the changes of our lot?
Vain seem our pleasures—vain our fancied pain,
Our feastings and our merry-makings vain;
And our fond mournings at thy voice' dull sound,
Existence owns its limit and its bound!
Laughter and tears are done with—all is still,
And we no fate have farther to fulfil!
Vain are our lingerings on some favourite track,
Our settings out, and our returnins back;
And vain our busy hurryings to and fro,
Our trackings and retrackings—swift or slow;
Our givings and our takings—hopes and fears,
All the frothed trouble of our yeasty years,
Vain our joy-givings at the natal hour,
Or when the fair bride comes with love's rich dower.
Vain our rejoicings at the nuptial board,
And vain our groans when Earth to Earth's restored—
Vain are our gatherings together all,
Far are we scattered when that stroke doth fall—
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And bids us clay, and dust, and ashes be.
Oh! Tomb! thy still small voice can chase away
All our delusions, as night chases day;
They vanish, and for ever ever then,
And we ourselves appear no more again!
| Queen Berengaria's Courtesy, and Other Poems | |