Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, TO MARY; OCCASIONED BY HER HAVING ENGRAVED ON A SEAL 'FORGET ME NOT', by BERNARD BARTON


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TO MARY; OCCASIONED BY HER HAVING ENGRAVED ON A SEAL 'FORGET ME NOT', by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Forget thee, mary -- no, not yet
Last Line: And all who know must love thee.
Alternate Author Name(s): Quaker Poet
Subject(s): Memory


FORGET thee, MARY!—no, not yet;
Too pleasing is the pensive debt
Which memory owes to thee;
Not out of mind, though out of sight;
While retrospection claims her right,
And friendship can afford delight,
From all such fears be free.

For whom would memory's magic art
Wish to enshrine within the heart?
Oh, would it not be one
Simple, ingenuous, modest, meek;
Whose praise we scarcely dare to speak,
So much her eye, and changing cheek,
Each plaudit seems to shun?

Whose gentle manners, void of art,
Can cheer and charm that wounded heart
Which beauty could not bow:
Such live in memory's ear and eye,
Endear'd by many a tender tie,
And though remote, are ever nigh,
And such, dear friend, art thou.

Yet, lovely as thou art, not thine
The praise alone: for this one line
I know thou'lt not reprove me;
Young as thou art, thou know'st from whence
Thy brightest charms of soul and sense;
Be HE who gave them, their defence,
And all who know must love thee.





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