Classic and Contemporary Poetry
VERSES WRITTEN IN A BLANK LEAF OF TIGHE'S 'PSYCHE', by BERNARD BARTON Poet's Biography First Line: Fond dreamer! Meditate thine idle song Last Line: And still shall chaunt his praise when time shall be no more. Alternate Author Name(s): Quaker Poet Subject(s): Songs | ||||||||
"FOND dreamer! meditate thine idle song, But let thine idle song remain unknown:" O guard its beauties from the vulgar throng, Unveil its charms to friendship's eye alone. To thee shall friendship's partial praise atone For all the incense of the world beside; Unthinking mirth may slight thy pensive tone, Folly may scorn, or ignorance deride: The lay so idly sung, let prudence teach to hide. Sweet Minstrel! couldst thou think a song like thine, With grace replete, with harmony inspir'd, Thy timid modesty could e'er confine Within those limits which thy fears desir'd? Ah no! by all approv'd, by all admir'd, Its charms shall captivate each listening ear; Thy "Psyche," by the hand of taste attir'd, To virtue, grace, and delicacy dear, Shall consecrate thy name for many a future year. Oh! had indulgent Heaven but spar'd thy 'yre, Which first it strung and tun'd to melody, How many a heart had felt increasing fire, Dwelling enraptur'd on its minstrelsy: How many an ear had drunk its harmony, And listened to its strains with sweet delight; But HE, whose righteous will is sovereignty, Hath bid thy sun of glory set in night, And, though we mourn thy loss, we own his sentence right. Yet, plainfive Songstress! on thy gentle lay Fancy with pensive tenderness shall dwell; Memory shall snatch from Time thy transient day, And soft regret each feeling breast shall swell. But, why regret? Let faith, exulting, tell That she, whose tuneful voice had sung before, In allegoric strain, love's witching spell, Now sings HIS love whom wondering worlds adore, And still shall chaunt HIS praise when time shall be no more. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE APOLLO TRIO by CONRAD AIKEN BAD GIRL SINGING by MARK JARMAN CHAMBER MUSIC: 4 by JAMES JOYCE CHAMBER MUSIC: 5 by JAMES JOYCE CHAMBER MUSIC: 28 by JAMES JOYCE THE SONG OF THE NIGHTINGALE IS LIKE THE SCENT OF SYRINGA by MINA LOY BRUCE AND THE SPIDER by BERNARD BARTON |
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