University of Virginia Library

XII.

The fillets of the Goddess shading
Her tresses of the simplest braiding,
The chastest dews which fountains yield
To sprinkle from the silver urn
Upon the marble floor, or burn
Sweet odours in the fire; to gild
The victim's horns; and decorate
With branching palm the sacred gate,
Was long her lot; and voices sent
From vaulted roof and firmament,
Upon her ear in whispers stealing,
The Numen's tutelage revealing,
Would seem to say her life should shine
Of the dark Sisters' whitest twine,
And heaven upon its favourite child,
Could smile not more than now it smiled.
But strong were her affections, moved
At each appeal of those she loved,
And one so fond, and so beguiling,
Ne'er from an unkind world went smiling.
'Twas strange! she was not seen to reap
The flowers or weeds of those that weep;
But they to whom she was most dear,
Who viewed, when nought of grief was near,
The gentle gloom which o'er her cheek
Flew, dimming there its roses meek,
Who in that voice, which had a tone
Of mournful music all its own,
Deep, tuneable, and tender, heard
The chords of passion early stirred,
And oft-times marked her violet eye
Burn bright with sensibility,—
Saw in those workings less the blow
Of beauty, than the birth of woe.
They told, I know not what, of years
Soon darken'd by misfortune's tears;
Of late remembrance o'er a scene
Where joy before had often been;
Of cankers when the heart had blown;
And of the lovely mind o'erthrown,
If e'er one jarring discord wrung
A soul so delicately strung.
Tis ever so! affection feeds
Sometimes on flowers, how oft on weeds!
The luxury of love, or aught
That opens Paradise on thought:
Denied, it sickens; gained with cost,
Tis gained too late, or briefly lost.
When at life's fount the golden bowl
Is broken as the waters roll,
Though bright without it, sunshine flies,
Within, an awful shadow lies.
Around, it bears some sculptured name,
One frenzied word, engraved in flame.
Whilst the pure springs in freshness bound
Upon the fragments scattered round,
Thro' ruin still exists that token,
Tho' fate the cup has broken, broken!