Poems by Bernard Barton | ||
139
THE ADIEU,
TO A FRIEND LEAVING SUFFOLK.
Farewell! and oh! if aught of grief
Shall mingle with thy last adieu,
May it at least afford relief,
That those thou leav'st partake it too.
Shall mingle with thy last adieu,
May it at least afford relief,
That those thou leav'st partake it too.
Though weeks have pass'd uncounted by,
Thy presence has not taught us yet
To feel, with thee, satiety;
Or part with thee, without regret.
Thy presence has not taught us yet
To feel, with thee, satiety;
Or part with thee, without regret.
Is it not meet it thus should be,
That light and shade should mingle thus;
When we must lose a friend like thee,
And thou, awhile, must part from us?
That light and shade should mingle thus;
When we must lose a friend like thee,
And thou, awhile, must part from us?
Yes, surely.—Nor could friendship ask
A stronger test, her power to tell,
Than that it should be felt a task,
A painful one, to say farewell!
A stronger test, her power to tell,
Than that it should be felt a task,
A painful one, to say farewell!
140
Yet not a painful one alone;
For our regrets a pledge shall give,
That days and hours, too swiftly flown,
In cherish'd memory long shall live.
For our regrets a pledge shall give,
That days and hours, too swiftly flown,
In cherish'd memory long shall live.
Then let our parting hour befit
The happy ones that we have spent;
Though grave, let grief not darken it
With aught like thankless discontent.
The happy ones that we have spent;
Though grave, let grief not darken it
With aught like thankless discontent.
'Tis something to have shar'd so much
Of joy, that Friends alone can know:
'Tis more to feel we part as such,
Ay! render'd more than ever so.
Of joy, that Friends alone can know:
'Tis more to feel we part as such,
Ay! render'd more than ever so.
But oh! it is more soothing still,
To feel a fond hope, when we sever,
Absence can not affection chill,
And we may meet more dear than ever.
To feel a fond hope, when we sever,
Absence can not affection chill,
And we may meet more dear than ever.
Poems by Bernard Barton | ||