X. Written beneath a Picture. Dear object of defeated care! Though now of Love and thee bereft, To reconcile me with despair Thine image and my tears are left: 'Tis said with Sorrow Time can cope; But this I feel can ne'er be true : For by the death-blow of my Hope My Memory immortal grew. The kiss, dear maid! thy lip has left, Shall never part from minę, Thy parting glance, which fondly beams, An equal love may see: . The tear that from thine eyelid streams Can weep no change in me. I ask no pledge to make me blest In gazing when alone; Whose thoughts are all thine own. Nor need I write to tell the tale My pen were doubly weak: Oh! what can idle words avail, Unless the heart could speak? 5. By day or night, in weal or woe, That heart, no longer free, And silent ache for thee. XII. To Thyrza. Without a stone to mark the spot, And say, what Truth might well have said, By all, save one, perchance forgot, Ah, wherefore art thou lowly laid? By many a shore and many a sea Divided, yet.belov'd in vain; The past, the future fled to thee To bid us meet--no-ne'er again! : Could this have been—a word—a look That softly said, “We part in peace,” Had taught my bosom how to brook, With fainter sighs, thy soul's release. And didst thou not, since Death for thee Prepar'd a light and pangless dart, Once long for him thou ne'er shalt see, Who held, and holds thee in his heart? Oh! who like him had watch'd thee here? . Or sadly mark'd thy glazing eye, When silent Sorrow fears to sigh, 'Twas thine to reck of human woe, Affection's heart-drops, gushing o'er, Had flow'd as fast--as now they flow. Shall they not flow, when many a day In these, to me, deserted towers, Ere call'd but for a time away, Affection's mingling tears were ours? Ours too the glance none saw beside; The smile none else might understand; The whisper'd thought of hearts allied, The pressure of the thrilling hand; The kiss so guiltless and refin'd That Love each warmer wish forbore; Those eyes proclaim'd so pure a mind, Ev'n passion blush'd to plead for more. |