FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40  
41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   >>  
age's frost, To count my weary days, and mourn The comforts I have lost. "Unkindly fair! why did'st thou go? O, had I known the truth! Tho' Edward's father was my foe, I would have bless'd the youth. "O could I see that face again, Whose smile calm'd ev'ry strife! And hear that voice, which sooth'd my pain, And made me wish for life! "Thy harp hangs silent by the wall: My nights are sad and long: And thou art in a distant hall, Where strangers raise the song. "Ha! some delusion of the mind My senses doth confound! It was the harp, and not the wind, That did so sweetly sound." Old Arno rose, all wan as death, With broken steps of care; And oft' he check'd his quick-heav'd breath, And turn'd his eager ear. When like a full, but distant choir The swelling sound return'd; And with the soft and trembling wire, The sighing echoes mourn'd. Then softly whisper'd o'er the song Which Marg'ret lov'd to play, Like some sweet dirge, and sad, and long, It faintly died away. His dim-worn eyes to heav'n he cast, Where all his griefs were known; And smote upon his troubled breast, And heav'd a heavy groan. "I know it is my daughter's hand, But 'tis no hand of clay: And here a lonely wretch I stand, All childless, bent, and grey. "And art thou low, my lovely child? And hast thou met thy doom? And has thy flatt'ring morning smil'd, To lead but to the tomb? "O let me see thee ere we part, For souls like thine are blest; O let me fold thee to my heart If aught of form thou hast. "This passing mist enrobes thy charms: Alas, to nought 'tis shrunk! And hollow strike my empty arms Against my aged trunk. "Thou'rt fled like the low ev'ning breath That sighs upon the hill: O stay! tho' in thy weeds of death, Thou art my daughter still." Loud wak'd the sound, then fainter grew, And long and sadly mourn'd; And softly sigh'd a long adieu, And never more return'd. Old Arno stretch'd him on the ground, Thick as the gloom of night, Death's misty shadows gather'd round, And swam before his sight. He heav'd a deep and deadly groan, Which rent his lab'ring breast; And long before the morning shone, His spirit was at rest. A REVERIE. Beside a spreading elm, from whose high boughs Like knotted tufts the crow's light dwelling shows, Where screen'd from northern blasts, and winter proof, Snug stands the parson's barn wi
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40  
41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   >>  



Top keywords:
distant
 

softly

 

return

 

daughter

 
breath
 

morning

 
breast
 

shrunk

 

nought

 

Against


strike

 

hollow

 
lovely
 
passing
 

enrobes

 
charms
 

spreading

 
Beside
 

boughs

 

REVERIE


spirit

 
knotted
 

stands

 

parson

 
winter
 

blasts

 

dwelling

 

northern

 

screen

 

deadly


fainter

 

stretch

 
gather
 

shadows

 
ground
 

silent

 

nights

 

confound

 

senses

 
strangers

delusion

 
strife
 

Unkindly

 

comforts

 

father

 

Edward

 

sweetly

 

griefs

 

faintly

 

troubled