By yonder fountain in the grove,
Where the green grass e’en from above
Down to the water’s pebbly bed
Its verdant covering hath outspread,
There, ‘neath a tree, ‘mid white flowers springing,
Lovely and sad, a new song singing,
Sat the disdainful fair whose scorn my heart is wringing.
Beauteous her form ;– yon castle walls
His own her titled father calls:
And when I thought the birds’ sweet art
And blooming spring might touch her heart,
And by their eloquence prepare
For me a more attentive ear,
Sudden the scene was changed, and all was sorrow there.
And there, beside the stream, she grieved,
And tears she shed, and sighs up-heaved:
“O thou,” she cried, “the world’s great King,–
Saviour! from thee my sorrows spring;
Thy griefs are mine; since thus for thee
The brave ones of the earth must be
Wanderers in distant climes ;– such is thy high decree.
“For thee my heart’s delight goes forth,
The noblest, best, in wit or worth;
And sorrow only tarries here–
Care, and the ever-flowing tear.
Woe to thee, Louis! whose command
This anguish for my soul hath plann’d:
Woe to thee, king! who love hast banish’d from the land!”
I heard; and, as I heard, drew near,
And stood beside that fountain clear:
And, “O fair maid,” I cried, “forbear,
Nor mar that face, nor let despair
Thus deep upon thy spirit seize;
He that can clothe the barren trees
With new-born leaves again, thine anguish can appease.”
“Sir knight, I have not now to learn,”
She said, “how Heaven in love can turn
To me and thousand sinners more,
In distant days, when time is o’er;
But chide not thou, though tears I shed:
It is enough — my joy is fled,
And far, far off the joy which thou hast promised.”
(Marcabrus)
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Based on Topics: Love Poems, World Poems, Sadness Poems, Time Poems, Nature Poems, Faces Poems, Joy & Excitement Poems, Cry Poems, Kings & Queens Poems, Art Poems, Birds PoemsBased on Keywords: ever-flowing, up-heaved