"ILL-FATED BARD!" she cried, "whose lengthening grief Had won the pathos of my lyre's relief, For whom, full oft, I've loiter'd to rehearse In phrenzied mood the deep impassion'd verse, Ill-fated Bard! from each frail hope remove, And shun the certain Suicide of Love: Lean not to me, @3th' impassion'd verse is o'er@1, Which chain'd thy heart, and forced thee to adore: For O! observe where haughty Duty stands, Her form in radiance drest, her eye severe, Eternal Scorpions writhing in her hands, To urge th' offender's @3unavailing@1 tear! Dread Goddess, I obey!— Ah! smoothe thy awful terror-striking brow, Hear and record MATILDA'S sacred vow! Ne'er will I quit th' undeviating @3line@1, Whose SOURCE THOU art, and THOU the LAW DIVINE. The Sun shall be subdued, his system fade, Ere I forsake the path thy FIAT made; Yet grant one soft regretful tear to flow, Prompted by pity for a Lover's woe, O grant @3without@1 REVENGE, one bursting sigh, Ere from his desolating grief I fly— 'Tis past,—Farewell! ANOTHER claims my heart; Then wing thy sinking steps, for here we part, We PART! and listen, for the word is MINE, ANNA MATILDA NEVER CAN BE THINE!" | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...ODE SUNG IN THE TOWN HALL, CONCORD, JULY 4, 1857 by RALPH WALDO EMERSON IN MEMORIAM A.H.H.: 43 by ALFRED TENNYSON THE SHEPHERD-BOY AND THE WOLF by AESOP A QUESTION by JOHANNA AMBROSIUS EMBLEMS OF LOVE: 21. 'TIS CONSTANCY THAT GAINS THE PRIZE by PHILIP AYRES |