And then but to endure the pangs of agony intense; For over me lay powerless, and still as any stone, The Corse that erst had so much fire, strength, spirit, of its own. My heart was still-my pulses stopp'd-midway 'twixt life and death, With pain unspeakable I fetch'd the fragment of a breath, Not vital air enough to frame one short and feeble sigh, Yet even that I loath'd because it would not let me die. Oh! slowly, slowly, slowly on, from starry night till morn, Time flapp'd along, with leaden wings, across that waste forlorn! I cursed the hour that brought me first within this world of strife A sore and heavy sin it is to scorn the gift of life But who hath felt a horse's weight oppress his labouring breast? Why any who has had, like me, the NIGHT MARE on his chest. LOVE LANE. IF I should love a maiden more, One even, by a mossy bank, To Ellen on my knees I sank,— A bashful fear my soul unnerved, At length my offer I preferr'd, I vow'd to give her all my heart, But when I ventured to abide Nay when beginning to beseech I spoke of fortune-house,—and lands, "Tis vain to talk of hopes and fears, 'Tis vain to call the dearest names What check'd me in my fond address, And knock'd each pretty image down? What stopp'd my Ellen's faltering Yes? A caterpillar on her gown! To list to Philomel is sweet To see the Moon rise silver-pale,— Sweet is the eventide, and kind At last, embolden'd by my bliss, Then, Lovers, doom'd to life or death, DOMESTIC POEMS. "It's hame, hame, hame."-A. CUNNINGHAM. I. HYMENEAL RETROSPECTIONS. O KATE! my dear Partner, through joy and through strife! When I look back at Hymen's dear day, Not a lovelier bride ever changed to a wife, Though you're now so old, wizen'd, and gray! Those eyes, then, were stars, shining rulers of fate! But as liquid as stars in a pool; Though now they're so dim, they appear, my dear Kate, Just like gooseberries boil'd for a fool! That brow was like marble, so smooth and so fair; Though it's wrinkled so crookedly now, As if Time, when those furrows were made by the share, Had been tipsy whilst driving his plough! |