WRITTEN IN ILLNESS by CAROLINE CLIVE

MY bark floats on the sea of death,
Of deep'ning waves the sport;
And dull disease, with heavy breath,
Impels me from the port.

Wide and unknown, the ocean surge
Outstretches to my ken;
Oh! when I reach yon cloudy verge,
What sights will meet me then?

Thee, native world, full well I know;
And as thy shores recede,
Mine eyes still wander from the prow,
Familiar forms to read.

There shines the light that first I knew,
The scenes that light displayed;
From which my soul the feelings drew,
Whereof itself was made.

There lie the shapes of joys and ills,
Which moved erewhile my mind;
Like storms and suns upon the hills
The trav'ller leaves behind.

But still receding, wafted on,
All indistinct they grow;
The busy crowd that moves thereon
To me is silent now.

Its glittering ray mine eye escapes,
The mists are round me furl'd;
Farewell, farewell, ye human shapes!
Farewell, my native world!

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!

Other Poems of Interest...