Felicia Hemans

“ And the high cedars darken'd with the night.
Alone she sate:—though many lay around,
They, pale and silent on the dewy ground,
Were sever'd from her need and from her woe,
Far as death severs life. O'er that wild spot
Combat had raged, and brought the valiant low,
And left them, with the history of their lot,
Unto the forest oaks. A fearful scene
For her whose home of days had been
Midst the fair halls of England!—but the love
Which fill'd her soul was strong to cast out fear,
And by its might upborne all else above,
She shrank not—mark'd not that the dead were near. ”

“ Ye have sad meetings on this changeful earth,
Many and sad!—but airs of heavenly breath
Shall melt the links which bind you, for your birth
Is far apart!
Now light, of richer hue
Than the moon sheds, came flushing mist and dew;
The pines grew red with morning; fresh winds play'd,
Bright-colour'd birds with splendour cross'd the shade,
Flitting on flower-like wings; glad murmurs broke
From reed, and spray, and leaf, the living strings
Of Earth's Æolian Lyre, whose music woke
Into young life and joy all happy things. ”

“ Was journeying fast. Alas! we think it sad
To part with life, when all the earth looks glad
In her young lovely things, when voices break
Into sweet sounds, and leaves and blossoms wake!
Is it not brighter then, in that far clime
Where graves are not, nor blights of changeful Time,
If here such glory dwell with passing blooms,
Such golden sunshine rest around the tombs? ”

“ The New Monthly Magazine, Volume 20, Pages 351-352
THE SUBTERRANEAN STREAM.
Thou stream,
Whose source is inaccessibly profound,
Whither do thy mysterious waters tend?
—Thou imagest my life.
Darkly thou glidest onward,
Thou deep and hidden wave!
The laughing sunshine hath not look'd
Into thy secret cave.
Thy current makes no music—
A hollow sound we hear,
A muffled voice of mystery,
And know that thou art near. ”

“ Here a vain love to passing flowers
Thou gav'st—but where thou art,
The sway is not with changeful hours,
There love and death must part!
Thou hast left sorrow in thy song,
A voice not loud, but deep ”

“ The power, the beauty, and the majesty,
That had their haunts in dale, or piny mountain,
Or forest by slow stream, or pebbly spring,
Or chasms and watery depths: all these have vanish'd;
They live no longer in the faith of reason! ”

“ I am not fair like thee,
The very glance of whose clear eye threw round a light of glee!
A frail and drooping form is mine—a cold unsmiling cheek—
Oh! I have but a woman's heart, wherewith thy heart to seek. ”

“ But when thou wakest, my Prince, my Lord! and hear’st how I have kept
A lonely vigil by thy side, and o'er thee pray'd and wept;
How in one long deep dream of thee my days and nights have past,
Surely that humble, patient love, must win back love at last! ”

“ Yet may we lift our hearts, in hope to dwell
Midst brighter things than these.
And think of deathless flowers,
And of bright streams to glorious valleys given,
And know the while, how little dream of ours
Can shadow forth of Heaven! ”

“ Wouldst thou smile in scorn at the shadowy tomb?
Drink of this cup! it is richly fraught
With balm from gardens of Genii brought;
Drink! and the spoiler shall pass thee by,
When the young all scatter'd like rose-leaves lie. ”

“ The ruins of an ancient abbey that have been partially converted into a church, reverently throw their mantle of tender shadow over it. It is the very spot for the grave of a poetess."—Tales by the O'Hara Family. ”

“ Love, human Love! what art thou?
—Thy print upon the dust
Outlives the cities of renown,
Wherein the mighty trust!
Immortal, oh! immortal
Thou art, whose earthly glow
Hath given these ashes holiness—
It must, it must be so!F. H.
↑ * The impression of a woman's form, with an infant clasped to the bosom, found at the first uncovering of Pompeii. ”

“ A gulf is set, a current rolls
For ever to divide,—
Well may they envy such a lot,
Whose hearts yearn on—but mingle not.
F. H.
↑ * For the tale on which this little poem is founded, see "L'Hermite en Italie." ”