O THOU, whose eyes were closed in death's pale night, Ere fate revealed thee to my aching sight; Ambiguous something, by no standard fixed, Frail span, of naught and of existence mixed; Embryo, imperfect as my tort'ring thought, Sad outcast of existence and of naught; Thou, who to guilty love first ow'st thy frame, Whom guilty honour kills to hide its shame; Dire offspring! formed by love's too pleasing pow'r! Honour's dire victim in a luckless hour! Soften the pangs that still revenge thy doom: Nor, from the dark abyss of nature's womb, Where back I cast thee, let revolving time Call up past scenes to aggravate my crime. Two adverse tyrants ruled thy wayward fate, Thyself a helpless victim to their hate; Love, spite of honour's dictates, gave thee breath; Honour, in spite of love, pronounced thy death. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...AT CASTERBRIDGE FAIR: 4. THE MARKET-GIRL by THOMAS HARDY AGAMEMNON: CHORUS by AESCHYLUS EMBLEMS OF LOVE: 28. LOVE'S TRIUMPH OVER RICHES by PHILIP AYRES TO CHILDREN: 4. THE FAIRY REALM by WILLIAM ROSE BENET MALEFACTORS by EDMUND CHARLES BLUNDEN THE CALL TO ARMS by CARL JOHN BOSTELMANN |