Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, DIRGE, by ANNA LETITIA BARBAULD


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

DIRGE, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Pure spirit! O where art thou now
Last Line: When I too am at rest.
Alternate Author Name(s): Aikin, Anna Letitia
Subject(s): Death; Dead, The


Pure spirit! O where art thou now!
O whisper to my soul!
O let some soothing thought of thee,
This bitter grief controul!

'Tis not for thee the tears I shed,
Thy sufferings now are o'er;
The sea is calm, the tempest past,
On that eternal shore.

No more the storms that wrecked thy peace
Shall tear that gentle breast;
Nor Summer's rage, nor Winter's cold,
Thy poor, poor frame molest.

Thy peace is sealed, thy rest is sure,
My sorrows are to come;
Awhile I weep and linger here,
Then follow to the tomb.

And is the awful veil withdrawn,
That shrouds from mortal eyes,
In deep impenetrable gloom,
The secrets of the skies?

O, in some dream of visioned bliss,
Some trance of rapture, show
Where, on the bosom of thy God,
Thou rest'st from human woe!

Thence may thy pure devotion's flame
On me, on me descend;
To me thy strong aspiring hopes,
Thy faith, thy fervours lend.

Let these my lonely path illume,
And teach my weakened mind
To welcome all that's left of good,
To all that's lost resigned.

Farewell! With honour, peace, and love,
Be thy dear memory blest!
Thou hast no tears for me to shed,
When I too am at rest.





Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


Other Poems of Interest...
Home: PoetryExplorer.net