DECEMBER’S hollow winds had howl’d,
And whistled through the air;
The leafless trees an emblem stood
Of sorrow and despair.
Beneath an aged oak I spy’d
A traveller distrest;
His manly form, by sorrow bow’d,
Rais’d pity in my breast.
His hollow eye was lowly bent
Tow’rds the russet earth;
Yet in his form I thought I trac’d
Semblance of higher birth:
I spoke–and as my voice proclaim’d
Compassion’s soothing art,
He rais’d an eye so finely form’d,
It touch’d me to the heart.
Speech was deny’d; but as he clasp’d
Impressively his hands,
A tear, the emblem of distress,
Fell on the senseless sands.
Well did I mark the crystal drop:
Unbidden from his eye
Another fell, attended by
A sympathetic sigh.
“Unhappy man!” said I, “whate’er
Thy cause of sorrow be,
In me behold a willing friend,
Anxious to comfort thee.”
Astonishment was quickly mark’d
On his expressive face:
“A Friend !” he cried, “do I hear right?
Great God! I thank thy grace;
“Or mercy–for this precious boon–“
Then turning round tow’rds me,
“My story’s long,–the wind blows keen–
Not far, Sir, from this tree,
“A cavity these hands have made;
And on the earth’s cold breast
This wretched form each night retires,
To seek repose and rest:
“Thither allow me to conduct,
And there I will disclose
A tale that will appal your heart,
A tale of real woes!”
A silent glance bespoke assent;
Towards the spot we drew;
Four gloomy trees o’ershadow’d it,
The cypress, and the yew.
An excavation, made by art,
Gave shelter from the air;
Yet all within the cell appear’d
The emblem of despair!
A table, if it might be call’d
By that convenient name,
Was form’d out of an old elm trunk,
With two stools of the same.
A bow, that might a court have grac’d,
Prov’d I was welcome there;
And drawing forth a stool , he ask’d
If ‘twould supply a chair? —
Seated, I begg’d him to disclose
The sorrows of his breast;
“No idle wish,” said I, “my friend,
Induces this request:
“An ample fortune I possess;
No kindred ties have claim;
If I can serve you, tell me so;
I ask not for your name;”
“It is Fernando!” , he reply’d;
“My father’s I’ll conceal;
For false assertions have disgrac’d,
And wounded pride might feel
“Offended, if I should disclose
The race from whence I sprung;
A race that’s not ignobly born,
For ah ! when I was young
“The sycophantic tongue proclaim’d
The honours I should wear;
Honours, connected with deceit,
And laden deep with care!
“When education was complete,
The army was my choice;
My mother the fond wish oppos’d
With a dissenting voice;
“But youthful ardour rose too high,
For reason to prevent:
At length, reluctant I receiv’d
A kind of half consent.
“Enthusiasm fir’d my breast:
Like C
(Mary Hopkins Pilkington)
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Based on Topics: Man Poems, God Poems, Sadness Poems, Nature Poems, Faces Poems, Friendship Poems, Name Poems, Cry Poems, Hope Poems, Art Poems, Education PoemsBased on Keywords: enthusiasm, oppos, ignobly, cavity, dissenting, sycophantic, assertions, induces, fernando, impressively, spoke-and