Poems by George Pope Morris Part 10

The banquet-hall, the play, the ball, And childhood's sportive glee, Have lost their spell for me, beloved, My souls is full of thee!

Has Rosabel forgotten me, And love I now in vain?

If that be so, my heart can know No rest on earth again.

A sad and weary lot is mine, To love and be forgot; A sad and weary lot beloved-- A sad and weary lot!

The Tyrant Sway.

The heart that owns thy tyrant sway, Whate'er its hopes may be, Is like a bark that drifts away Upon a sh.o.r.eless sea!

No compa.s.s left to guide her on, Upon the surge she's tempest-torn-- And such is life to me!

And what is life when love is fled?

The world, unshared by thee?

I'd rather slumber with the dead, Than such a waif to be!

The bark that by no compa.s.s steers Is lost, which way soe'er she veers-- And such is life to me!

A Hero of the Revolution.

Let not a tear be shed!

Of grief give not a token, Although the silver thread And golden bowl be broken!

A warrior lived--a Christian died!

Sorrow's forgotten in our pride!

Go, bring his battle-blade, His helmet and his plume!

And be his trophies laid Beside him in the tomb, Where files of time-marked veterans come With martial tramp and m.u.f.fled drum!

Give to the earth his frame, To moulder and decay; But not his deathless name-- That can not pa.s.s away!

In youth, in manhood, and in age, He dignified his country's page!

Green be the willow-bough Above the swelling mound, Where sleeps the hero now In consecrated ground: Thy epitaph, O Delavan!

G.o.d's n.o.blest work--an honest man!

Rhyme and Reason.

An Apologue.

Two children of the olden time In Flora's primrose season, Were born. The name of one was Rhyme That of the other Reason.

And both were beautiful and fair, And pure as mountain stream and air.

As the boys together grew, Happy fled their hours-- Grief or care they never knew In the Paphian bowers.

See them roaming, hand in hand, The pride of all the choral band!

Music with harp of golden strings, Love with bow and quiver, Airy sprites on radiant wings, Nymphs of wood and river, Joined the Muses' constant song, As Rhyme and Reason pa.s.sed along.

But the scene was changed--the boys Left their native soil-- Rhyme's pursuit was idle joys, Reason's manly toil: Soon Rhyme was starving in a ditch, While Reason grew exceeding rich.

Since the dark and fatal hour, When the brothers parted, Reason has had wealth and power-- Rhyme's poor and broken-hearted!

And now, or bright, or stormy weather, They twain are seldom seen together.

Starlight Recollections.

'Twas night. Near the murmuring Saone, We met with no witnesses by, But such as resplendently shone In the blue-tinted vault of the sky: Your head on my bosom was laid, As you said you would ever be mine; And I promised to love, dearest maid, And wors.h.i.+p alone at your shrine.

Your love on my heart gently fell As the dew on the flowers at eve, Whose blossoms with grat.i.tude swell, A blessing to give and receive: And I knew by the glow on your cheek, And the rapture you could not control, No power had language to speak The faith or content of your soul.

I love you as none ever loved-- As the steel to the star I am true; And I, dearest maiden, have proved That none ever loved me but you.

Till memory loses her power, Or the sands of existence have run, I'll remember the star-lighted hour That mingled two hearts into one.

Wearies my Love?

Wearies my love of my letters?

Does she my silence command?

Sunders she Love's rosy fetters As though they were woven of sand?

Tires she too of each token Indited with many a sigh?