THE MAGNETIC LADY TO HER PATIENT. 285 SONG. "A WIDOW bird sate mourning for her love Upon a wintry bough; The frozen wind crept on above, The freezing stream below. "There was no leaf upon the forest bare, No flower upon the ground, And little motion in the air Except the mill-wheel's sound." THE MAGNETIC LADY TO HER PATIENT. I. "SLEEP, sleep on! forget thy pain; My hand is on thy brow, My spirit on thy brain, My pity on thy heart, poor friend; The powers of life, and like a sign, Seal thee from thine hour of woe, And brood on thee, but may not blend II. "Sleep, sleep on! I love thee not; But when I think that he Who made and makes my lot As full of flowers as thine of weeds, And that a hand which was not mine 1821. Might then have charmed his agony As I another's—my heart bleeds For thine. III. "Sleep, sleep, and with the slumber of The dead and the unborn Forget thy life and love; Forget that thou must wake for ever; Forget the world's dull scorn; Forget lost health, and the divine 20 Feelings which died in youth's brief morn; 25 And forget me, for I can never Be thine. IV. "Like a cloud big with a May shower, My soul weeps healing rain, "The spell is done. How feel you now?" "Better Quite well," replied What cure your head and side? My chain." 35 40 1822. 45 When hearts have once mingled Love first leaves the well-built nest, The weak one is singled To endure what it once possessed. O, Love who bewailest The frailty of all things here, Why choose you the frailest For your cradle, your home and your bier? IV. Its passions will rock thee As the storms rock the ravens on high: 15 20 25 Bright reason will mock thee, Like the sun from a wintry sky. From thy nest every rafter Will rot, and thine eagle home Leave thee naked to laughter, When leaves fall and cold winds come. 1822. TO JANE-THE INVITATION. BEST and brightest, come away! The brightest hour of unborn Spring, Bending from Heaven, in azure mirth, And bade the frozen streams be free, Like one on whom thou smilest, dear. Away, away, from men and towns, 30 5 ΙΟ 15 20 |