 | The Poems of John Rollin Ridge -- A reproduction of the 1868
publication plus fugitive poems and notes. |  |
TO THE BEAUTIFUL
Ox, blame me not that I am bold,
Nor scorn my too adventurous rhymes,
For how can he be tame or cold
Whose heart bath bloomed in southern climes?
Nor scorn my too adventurous rhymes,
For how can he be tame or cold
Whose heart bath bloomed in southern climes?
Or who bath lived among the flowers,
Or by those clear perennial streams,
Whose music charms the gliding hours,
Nor gave his soul to passion's dreams?
Or by those clear perennial streams,
Whose music charms the gliding hours,
Nor gave his soul to passion's dreams?
Why should his heart not love to live
Within the light of beauty's eyes,
And all its world of feeling give,
To win from her, her trembling sighs?
Within the light of beauty's eyes,
And all its world of feeling give,
To win from her, her trembling sighs?
Alas, the world may say 't is wrong,
But who can rule the wayward heart?
For we are weak, and nature strong,
And love is our immortal part!
But who can rule the wayward heart?
For we are weak, and nature strong,
And love is our immortal part!
We may not see the rosy mouth,
The laughing eye, the graceful limb,
And bosom, like the sunny south,
With love o'erflowing from the brim.
The laughing eye, the graceful limb,
And bosom, like the sunny south,
With love o'erflowing from the brim.
We may not see such loveliness,
Without the wish at least to gaze;
And cold were she, denying this
To him whose every look is praise.
Without the wish at least to gaze;
And cold were she, denying this
To him whose every look is praise.
Forgive me, if my heart has erred,
In deeming thou would'st not despise,
And I will cancel every word,
To meet forgiveness from thine eyes.
In deeming thou would'st not despise,
And I will cancel every word,
To meet forgiveness from thine eyes.
| The Poems of John Rollin Ridge -- A reproduction of the 1868
publication plus fugitive poems and notes. | |