I KNOW that it must be, Yea! thou art changed -- all worshipp'd as thou art -- Mourn'd as thou shalt be! Sickness of the heart Hath done its work on thee! Thy dim eyes tell a tale, A pitious tale, of vigils; and the trace Of bitter tears is on thy beauteous face, Beauteous, and yet so pale! Changed love! but not alone! I am not what they think me; though my cheek Wear but its last year's furrow, though I speak Thus in my natural tone. The temple of my youth Was strong in moral purpose: once I felt The glory of philosophy, and knelt In the pure shrine of truth. I went into the storm, And mock'd the billows of the tossing sea; I said to Fate, "What wilt thou do to me? I have not harm'd a worm!" Vainly the heart is steel'd In wisdom's armour; let her burn her books! I look upon them as the soldier looks Upon his cloven shield. Virtue and virtue's rest, How have they perish'd! Through my onward course Repentance dogs my footsteps! black Remorse Is my familiar guest! The glory and the glow Of the world's loveliness have pass'd away; And Fate hath little to inflict, to-day, And nothing to bestow! Is not the damning line Of guilt and grief engraven on me now? And the fierce passion which hath scathed thy brow, Hath it not blasted mine? No matter! I will turn To the straight path of duty; I have wrought, At last, my wayward spirit to be taught What it hath yet to learn. Labour shall be my lot; My kindred shall be joyful in my praise; And Fame shall twine for me, in after days, A wreath I covet not. And if I cannot make, Dearest! thy hope my hope, thy trust my trust, Yet will I study to be good, and just, And blameless, for thy sake. Thou may'st have comfort yet; Whate'er the source from which those waters glide, Thou hast found healing mercy in their tide; Be happy and forget! Forget me -- and farewell! But say not that in me new hopes and fears, Or absence, or the lapse of gradual years, Will break thy memory's spell! Indelibly, within, All I have lost is written; and the theme Which silence whispers to my thoughts and dreams Is sorrow still -- and sin! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...HOMAGE TO SEXTUS PROPERTIUS: 5 by EZRA POUND AUCTION: ANDERSON GALLERIES by LOUIS UNTERMEYER TYRANNICK [TYRANNIC] LOVE: EPILOGUE by JOHN DRYDEN TWILIGHT AT SEA by AMELIA B. WELBY OPEN THY HEART by JOHANNA AMBROSIUS CLIO, NINE ECLOGUES IN HONOUR OF NINE VIRTUES: 1. TRUE AND CHASTE LOVE by WILLIAM BASSE |