The roses of Love glad the garden of life, Though nurturd mid weeds dropping pestilent dew, Till Time crops the leaves with unmerciful knife, Or prunes them for ever, in Loves last adieu! In vain, with endearments, we soothe the sad heart, In vain do we vow for an age to be true; The chance of an hour may command us to part, Or Death disunite us, in Loves last adieu! Still Hope, breathing peace, through the grief-swollen breast, Will whisper, “Our meeting we yet may renew:” With this dream of deceit, half our sorrows represt, Nor taste we the poison, of Loves last adieu! Oh! mark you yon pair, in the sunshine of youth, Love twind round their childhood his flowrs as they grew; They flourish awhile, in the season of truth, Till chilld by the winter of Loves last adieu! Sweet lady! why thus doth a tear steal its way, Down a cheek which outrivals thy bosom in hue? Yet why do I ask?---to distraction a prey, Thy reason has perishd, with Loves last adieu! Oh! who is yon Misanthrope, shunning mankind? From cities to caves of the forest he flew: There, raving, he howls his complaint to the wind; The mountains reverberate Loves last adieu! Now Hate rules a heart which in Loves easy chains, Once Passions tumultuous blandishments knew; Despair now inflames the dark tide of his veins, He ponders, in frenzy, on Loves last adieu! How he envies the wretch, with a soul wrapt in steel! His pleasures are scarce, yet his troubles are few, Who laughs at the pang that he never can feel, And dreads not the anguish of Loves last adieu! Youth flies, life decays, even hope is oercast; No more, with Loves former devotion, we sue: He spreads his young wing, he retires with the blast; The shroud of affection is Loves last adieu! In this life of probation, for rapture divine, Astrea declares that some penance is due; From him, who has worshippd at Loves gentle shrine, The atonement is ample, in Loves last adieu! Who kneels to the God, on his altar of light Must myrtle and cypress alternately strew: His myrtle, an emblem of purest delight, His cypress, the garland of Loves last adieu!
Posted on: Fri, 08 Nov 2013 09:28:05 +0000