 | The poetical works (1829) |  |
TO INDOLENCE.
I no not woo thy presence, Indolence!
Goddess, I would not rank
A votary in thy train.
Goddess, I would not rank
A votary in thy train.
I will not ask to wear thy fett'ring flowers,
O thou on whose cold lips
Faint plays the heartless smile!
O thou on whose cold lips
Faint plays the heartless smile!
Pale, sickly as the unkindly shaded fruit,
Thy languid cheek displays
No sunny hues of health;
Thy languid cheek displays
No sunny hues of health;
There is no radiance in thy listless eye,
No active joy that fires
Its sudden glances with life.
No active joy that fires
Its sudden glances with life.
I do not wish upon thy downy couch,
As in a conscious dream
To doze away the hours,
As in a conscious dream
To doze away the hours,
Dead to all noble purposes of man,
Useless among mankind,
To live, unworthy life.
Useless among mankind,
To live, unworthy life.
But to thy sister Leisure I would pour
The supplicating prayer,
And woo her aid benign:
The supplicating prayer,
And woo her aid benign:
Nymph, on whose sunny cheek the hue of health
Blooms like the ruddy fruit
Matur'd by southern rays,
Blooms like the ruddy fruit
Matur'd by southern rays,
Whose eye beam sparkles to the speaking heart,
Like the reflected noon
Quick glancing on the waves.
Like the reflected noon
Quick glancing on the waves.
Her would I pray that not for ever thus
The ungentle voice of toil
Might claim my daily task,
The ungentle voice of toil
Might claim my daily task,
So should my hand a votive temple rear,
Through many a distant age
That undestroy'd should stand.
Through many a distant age
That undestroy'd should stand.
Long should the stately monument proclaim
That no ungrateful heart
Goddess! received thy boon.
That no ungrateful heart
Goddess! received thy boon.
| The poetical works (1829) | |