Now, hey, for sighs and sugar words, O but this warld's a paradise THE MAIDEN'S DREAM. "Thrice hallowed be that dawn of love when the maiden's cheek still blushes at the conscious sweetness of her own innocent thoughts."— Jean Paul. ASK not if she loves, but look, All the blisses of her dream, All she may not, must not speak, Read them on her conscious cheek. See that cheek of virgin snow Damasked with love's rosy bloom; As if in a cool, deep well, Veiled by shadows of the night, Hath her love-illumined soul Tears of tender sadness fall Fall from summer's cloudless sky: Still she sitteth coyly drooping Like a languid lily stooping Low her folded blooms to hide.. Starting now in soft surprise In its own sweet fancies caught. Ah! bethink thee, maiden, yet, Let that young heart slumber still, Ah! in vain the dovelet tries To break the web of tender thought The little heart a captive lies, In its own sweet fancies caught. WHEN TIME HATH BEREFT THEE. WHEN time hath bereft thee of charms now divine, And the thorn thou wouldst banish shall press on thy brow, When he who could turn thee from virtue and fame, BELIEVE ME TRUE. O YES, believe me true, Though falsehood's tongue our loves would sever, The world must change ere I from you, And every pulse be cold for ever. N O yes, believe, believe me true, Though friends-to part us may endeavour, Let come what may, I'll love thee ever; And nought but death our hearts can sever. MY HEART IS WITH THEE. BELOVED of my soul, though this moment is bringing Still hope, smiling hope, in my bosom is springing, Our thoughts are not bound by the cruel decree, LOVE DEAD. The lady sent him an image of Cupid, one wing veiling his face. He was pleased thereat, thinking it to be Love sleeping, and betoken the tenderness of the sentiment. He looked again, and saw it was Love dead and laid upon his bier. THIS morn with trembling I awoke, Just as the dawn my slumber broke : Flapping came a heavy wing sounding pinions o'er my head, That an Evil occupied the room: With its voice of inward warning. Vain with weakness we may palter Vainly may the fond heart falter : Came there then upon my soul, drooping down like leaden weight, Burning pang or freezing pang, which I know not, 'twas so great! Life hath its moments black unnumbered, I knew not if mine eyes had slumbered, Ever to have known again: Love dies, too, when Faith is dead- I knew that love could ever change That Love should die seems yet more strange; Lifting up the downy veil, screening Love within my heart, How his fibres round me grew- I struggled, knowing we must part; Grieving much and struggling much, forth I brought him sorrowing; Drooping hung his fainting head, all adown his dainty wing! Shrieked I with a wild and dark surprise, For I saw the marble in Love's eyes; Yet I hoped his soul would wait As he oft had waited there, Hovering, though at heaven's gate Could he leave me to despair? Unfolded they the crystal door, Where Love shall languish never more. Weeping Love, thy days are o'er, Lo! I lay thee on thy bier, Wiping thus from thy dead cheek every vestige of a tear. Love has perished: hist, bist, how they tell, Beating pulse of mine, his funeral knell! Love is dead-ay, dead and gone! Why should I be living on ?— Why be in this chamber sitting, With but phantoms round me flitting? SHE LOVED, AND LOVED SINCERELY. THE tear that pearled my Clara's cheek, And, ere the drop dissolved away, The blush that crimsoned Clara's face, Gave softening sweetness to each grace, But sweeter to the trembling heart, THE WIFE. I COULD have stemmed misfortune's tide, I could have smiled on every blow From life's full quiver thrown, While I might gaze on thee, and know I could-I think I could have brooked, Upon my fading face hadst looked But thus to see, from day to day, Thy brightening eye and cheek," And watch thy life-sands waste away, Unnumbered, slowly, meek; |