When Murder sent her hopeless cries, Who was it led thee through the wood, "Twas pitying Heaven that check'd my tears, And bade my infants play, To give an opiate to my fears When horror-struck-detesting light, When winged for flight my spirit stood, To lead my charmer to her God, Oh, let me ever, ever praise Though languid may appear my lays, At least they are sincere. It is my joy that thou art God, Eternal and supreme; Rise, Nature-hail the power aloud, From whom Creation came. BALLAD. BY MRS. EMMA C. EMBURY. "La rose cueillie et le cœur gagné ne plaisent qu'un jour." THE maiden sat at her busy wheel, "The gathered rose, and the stolen heart, "Can charm but for a day." I looked on the maiden's rosy cheek, And I sighed to think that the traitor love, But she thought not of future days of wo, While she carroled in tones so gay; "The gathered rose, and the stolen heart, "Can charm but for a day." A year passed on, and again I stood But her look was blithe no more: "The gathered rose, and the stolen heart, "Can charm but for a day." Oh! well I knew what had dimmed her eye, And made her cheek so pale; The maid had forgotten her early song, While she listened to love's soft tale. She had tasted the sweets of his poisoned cup, It had wasted her life away: And the stolen heart, like the gathered rose, Had charmed but for a day. FORGETFULNESS. BY MISS ELIZABETH S. BOGART. WE parted-friendship's dream had cast Full many a thought on which to dwell. We parted-he went o'er the sea, FORGETFULNESS. We parted-'twas an idle dream That thus we e'er should meet again ; Another language, which expressed And soon he better loved to speak In those new accents than his own; His native tongue seemed cold and weak, To breathe the wakened passions' tone. He wandered far, and lingered long, And drank so deep of Lethe's stream, That each new feeling grew more strong, And all the past was like a dream. We met a few glad words were spoken, I felt it all-we met no more— My heart was true, but it was proud; Life's early confidence was o'er, And hope had set beneath a cloud. We met no more-for neither sought 193 And he had themes on which to dwell, And drew a mystic boundary line. For he had seen the evening star And listened, in fair ladies' bowers, To genius' words, and beauty's sighs. His steps had echoed through the halls Or op'd perforce the hingeless gate; Whose histories could the hours beguile Such recollections come to him, With moon, and stars, and summer flowers; To me they bring the shadows dim Of earlier and of happier hours. I would those shadows darker fell-- Or welcome as forgetfulness. |