SO thou, unmindful of the Past, Fond heart, wert wise enough to think A woman's constancy might last Till Fate your destinies should link! Vain dupe! to trust the shallow vow Of youth and inexperience. Insane! to dream that such as thou Wert cast for Passion born of Sense. All pay for folly, -- thou must pay For this unwisdom, in due shame. Would Phoebus focus every ray On one, of all that need his flame? Would Luna light one pilgrim home And leave a clouded world to grope? What Star in you bespangled Dome Shines solely as one wanderer's hope? Bright Ocean woos a world-wide shore; Soft breezes kiss no special face; The thrust that charms thy ear will pour His song in mine, with equal grace; And surely never honey-bee Held one pure rosebud his alone, To yield her sweets at his decree Nor even now, but when full blown. Yet thy delusion is not vain If thro' the evanescent thrall Of this rash fetter, thou shalt gain The potency of loving all. Then back, fond fool! for ever be One lesson graven on thy mind -- Such love is not for such as thee; Thy mission is to bless thy kind. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...AN EXPATIATION ON THE COMBINING OF WEATHERS AT THIRTY .... by HAYDEN CARRUTH SONG: SO OFTEN, SO LONG I HAVE THOUGHT by HAYDEN CARRUTH SURFACES AND MASKS; 2 by CLARENCE MAJOR AUTUMN SONG by KATHERINE MANSFIELD THE HEART'S RETURN by EDWIN MARKHAM BOYHOOD FRIENDS by EDGAR LEE MASTERS |