 | The Poetical Works of Caroline Bowles Southey |  |
THE CHURCHYARD.
The thought of early death was in my heart;
Of the dark grave, and “dumb forgetfulness;”
And with a weight like lead,
And overwhelming dread,
Mysteriously my spirit did oppress.
Of the dark grave, and “dumb forgetfulness;”
And with a weight like lead,
And overwhelming dread,
Mysteriously my spirit did oppress.
238
And forth I roamed in that distressful mood
Abroad into the sultry, sunless day;
All hung with one dark cloud,
That like a sable shroud
On Nature's deep sepulchral stillness lay.
Abroad into the sultry, sunless day;
All hung with one dark cloud,
That like a sable shroud
On Nature's deep sepulchral stillness lay.
Black fell the shadows of the churchyard elms—
Unconsciously my feet had wandered there—
And through that awful gloom—
Head-stone and altar tomb
Among the green heaps gleamed with ghastlier glare.
Unconsciously my feet had wandered there—
And through that awful gloom—
Head-stone and altar tomb
Among the green heaps gleamed with ghastlier glare.
Death—death was in my heart, as there I stood,
Mine eyes fast fixed upon a grass-grown mound;
As though they would descry
The loathsome mystery
Consummating beneath that charnel ground.
Mine eyes fast fixed upon a grass-grown mound;
As though they would descry
The loathsome mystery
Consummating beneath that charnel ground.
Death—death was in my heart. Methought I felt
A heavy hand, that pressed me down below;
And some resistless power
Made me, in that dark hour,
Half long to be, where I abhorred to go.
A heavy hand, that pressed me down below;
And some resistless power
Made me, in that dark hour,
Half long to be, where I abhorred to go.
Then suddenly, albeit no breeze was felt,
Through the tall tree-tops ran a shivering sound—
Forth from the western heaven
Flashed out the flaming levin,
And one long thunder-peal rolled echoing round.
Through the tall tree-tops ran a shivering sound—
Forth from the western heaven
Flashed out the flaming levin,
And one long thunder-peal rolled echoing round.
One long, long echoing peal, and all was peace;
Cool rain-drops gemmed the herbage—large and few;
And that dull vault of lead,
Disparting over head,
Down beamed an eye of soft celestial blue.
Cool rain-drops gemmed the herbage—large and few;
And that dull vault of lead,
Disparting over head,
Down beamed an eye of soft celestial blue.
239
And up toward the heavenly portal sprang
A skylark, scattering off the feathery rain—
Up from my very feet;—
And oh! how clear and sweet
Rang through the fields of air his mounting strain.
A skylark, scattering off the feathery rain—
Up from my very feet;—
And oh! how clear and sweet
Rang through the fields of air his mounting strain.
Blithe, blessed creature! take me there with thee—
I cried in spirit—passionately cried—
But higher still and higher
Rang out that living Lyre,
As if the Bird disdained me in his pride.
I cried in spirit—passionately cried—
But higher still and higher
Rang out that living Lyre,
As if the Bird disdained me in his pride.
And I was left below, but now no more
Plunged in the doleful realms of Death and Night—
Up with the skylark's lay,
My soul had winged her way
To the supernal source of Life and Light.
Plunged in the doleful realms of Death and Night—
Up with the skylark's lay,
My soul had winged her way
To the supernal source of Life and Light.
| The Poetical Works of Caroline Bowles Southey | |