Queen Berengaria's Courtesy, and Other Poems By the Lady E. Stuart Wortley. In Three Vols |
 | I, II, III. |
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THE VOW. |
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 | Queen Berengaria's Courtesy, and Other Poems |  |
11
THE VOW.
I met thy careless, thy contemptuous glance,
Oh! thou that could'st my yielding Soul entrance,
And inwardly resolved I, proudly then,
To pay thee back thy scorn with scorn again.
Oh! thou that could'st my yielding Soul entrance,
And inwardly resolved I, proudly then,
To pay thee back thy scorn with scorn again.
What! shalt thou e'er despise me or deride?
No! I will fling thee back still Pride for Pride!
'Twas thus, at that dark moment that I vowed
Ne'er to be crushed by love—by feeling bowed!
No! I will fling thee back still Pride for Pride!
'Twas thus, at that dark moment that I vowed
Ne'er to be crushed by love—by feeling bowed!
A thousand firm resolves I strongly formed,
My breast with fiery indignation warmed,
I hurled my heartless Idol from my Soul,
And bade revenge—revenge possess the whole.
My breast with fiery indignation warmed,
I hurled my heartless Idol from my Soul,
And bade revenge—revenge possess the whole.
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I turned from thee away, and checked a tear,
And wreathed love's withering smile into a sneer—
I trembling turned—and threatened as I turned
Love's very ghost should be for aye inurned!
And wreathed love's withering smile into a sneer—
I trembling turned—and threatened as I turned
Love's very ghost should be for aye inurned!
That it should never haunt mine altered heart,
Nor take a dear deceiver's treacherous part—
I challenged Memory, and I championed Fate,
And felt my strengthened Soul itself create!
Nor take a dear deceiver's treacherous part—
I challenged Memory, and I championed Fate,
And felt my strengthened Soul itself create!
So proudly feels the unchained th' uplifted mind,
A nobler nature with its nature twined,
When Thought on wings of loftier ardour flies,
And Hope quits Earth to quicken in the Skies!
A nobler nature with its nature twined,
When Thought on wings of loftier ardour flies,
And Hope quits Earth to quicken in the Skies!
So brightly feels the heart at length set free,
That long endured a prisoned slave to be,
A lovelier life with its own life blent then,
To Hope—to Freedom we are born again!
That long endured a prisoned slave to be,
A lovelier life with its own life blent then,
To Hope—to Freedom we are born again!
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Aye! then the strengthened Soul—armed, roused, elate,
Appears itself rejoicing to create—
It spreads its plumes—it casts away its chains—
It lives in liberty—in rapture reigns.
Appears itself rejoicing to create—
It spreads its plumes—it casts away its chains—
It lives in liberty—in rapture reigns.
And these my feelings were—my thoughts were these,
An Empire's strong command 'twas mine to seize,
The Empire of myself—and then indeed,
Exulted I, from galling fetters freed!
An Empire's strong command 'twas mine to seize,
The Empire of myself—and then indeed,
Exulted I, from galling fetters freed!
I joyed to find and feel my spirit's strength,
I laughed at tyrant love and thee at length,
I gloried in mine independence new,
And pitied hearts too tender and too true.
I laughed at tyrant love and thee at length,
I gloried in mine independence new,
And pitied hearts too tender and too true.
I turned away—yet once again I turned
To look my last on one I scorned and spurned,
A drooping form I saw, and downcast face,
All mournful with repentance' pallid grace.
To look my last on one I scorned and spurned,
A drooping form I saw, and downcast face,
All mournful with repentance' pallid grace.
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Methought I heard a sigh—a long-drawn sigh—
Methought I saw a tear in that lowered eye,
I leant towards that bowed form—so pale and chill—
Leaned—listened—lingered—looked—and—loved thee still!
Methought I saw a tear in that lowered eye,
I leant towards that bowed form—so pale and chill—
Leaned—listened—lingered—looked—and—loved thee still!
| Queen Berengaria's Courtesy, and Other Poems | |