RELENTLESS war, must still thy dreaded call
The tender lover from his mistress part?
From beauty’s eyes bid tears of anguish fall,
And wring with fiercest pangs the gentle heart?
Ev’n in the rosy bower of pleasure laid,
By fortune favour’d, and caress’d by love,
Thy martial sounds the ear of joy invade,
And shake with terrour all the peaceful grove.
Say, will thy rage insatiate ne’er decay?
Must nation against nation ever bleed?
Thy smoking wheels thro’ carnage mark their way,
And pale-ey’d famine thy dread steps succeed?
While yet one little spot mankind contain’d,
Discord beneath the roof paternal rose,
With brother’s blood a brother’s hands were stain’d,
And still the sanguine tide impetuous flows.
The noble CELADON , young, lovely, brave,
Enamour’d, doted on sweet MIRA’S charms:
To her fair form each beauty nature gave,
That youthful hearts with tender transport warms.
Her spotless mind, that needed no disguise,
Each genuine feeling on her face impress’d;
Now pity’s dew drops glisten’d in her eyes;
The glow of friendship now each look confess’d:
Anon a sudden blush her cheek o’erspread,
And love amidst the new-blown roses play’d;
And now at last the transient lustre fled,
While the pale hue some tender fear betray’d.
Her gentle soul no jarring passion knew;
‘Twas form’d alone for pity, love, and joy;
Nor hatred, anger, pride, a direful crew,
Could e’er the fair one’s bosom-peace annoy.
The wish’d consent approving parents gave,
And bad the hymeneal rites prepare:
And seldom had they join’d a youth so brave
In tender union with a maid so fair.
But on the eve of that long-wish’d-for day,
That should have bless’d him with his MIRA’S charms,
Stern honour’s voice, which still the brave obey,
Calls forth the hero to the field of arms
O grief of griefs! unutterable woe!
And must hard fate these lovers dear divide?
Must he for war’s dire scenes each bliss forego,
And leave to wretchedness his weeping bride?
No time was given to take a last farewel;
To plight fond vows, that ever true shall prove;
To mingle tears, and kiss them ere they fell;
No parting gift’s bestow’d, endear’d by love.
Now shines the hero on the embattl’d field,
And seeks in danger’s front renown to gain;
Bids softer love to fierce ambition yield,
And victory’s wreath supplant the lover’s chain.
Yet, grac’d with all that charms the soldier’s eye,
Glory in vain his stedfast soul assails;
Still for his absent MIRA swells the sigh,
And love o’er fierce ambition’s power prevails.
Full oft he reason’d with his doubting mind;
What! shall I tamely yield to love’s soft sway?
Beneath th’ inglorious shade of rest reclin’d,
Waste youth’s short, active hours in ease away?
Ah! no; be sloth’s dull couch by cowards press’d,
Whose abject hearts at glory’s call ne’er rose;
Beneath his laurels should the hero rest,
And, but on victory’s bosom, seek repose.
Yet MIRA’S charms her soldier would inspire,
And her dear hands adorn me for the field;
With love of glory all my bosom fire,
And, like my guardian-saint, from danger shield.
When gay returning from victorious toils,
What joy her fond approving eyes to meet!
Glow in the bright effulgence of her smiles,
And lay with pride my laurels at her feet!
Oh! then be love and war together join’d,
While each from each shall mutual succour share;
Beauty in valour’s arms protection find;
And love’s fond smiles reward the brave and fair.
At length resolv’d he frames the fond request;
While potent love each glowing line inspires,
To melt with tenderness his MIRA’S breast,
At once to pity and partake his fires.
The fond request the gentle maid approves:
Yes, dearest CELADON , I come, she cried;
Nor toils, nor distance shall divide our loves,
Or keep me longer from thy faithful side.
His MIRA’S brother and his dearest friend,
Thro’ all the dangers of the distant way,
He prays the lovely traveller to attend,
And safely to his longing eyes convey.
The tender parents fold her in their arms,
And heaven with many an anxious prayer implore,
To guard their age’s treasure safe from harms,
And soon, and happy to their vows restore.
They part; the chariot flies with rapid speed;
Yet all its speed to MIRA seems too slow;
While hopes and fears each other quick succeed,
And bid each animated feature glow.
And now, approaching near the destin’d place,
A martial band, slow moving, she espies;
And now, advanc’d within a shorter space,
Born on their arms a wounded chieftain lies.
And need the muse inform the feeling heart,
Who was the youth his sad companions bore?
She gaz’d! a boding sigh her fears impart;
O heavens! my love! she cried, and could no more.
Now at her feet their mournful burden laid,
Again he feebly lifts his dying eyes;
Their quivering beams are centred on the maid,
And thus with feeble voice, and broken sighs:
‘Tis past, my fair one; all our hopes are o’er;
Thou com’st, alas! to catch my parting breath;
A widow’d bride thou tread’st this fatal shore,
Ill-fated witness of thy husband’s death.
Yet, MIRA , live to sooth a mother’s woe:
Tell her, her son with youthful ardour fir’d,
Not like a coward met the fatal blow;
But, crown’d with conquest, at your feet expir’d.
Talk not of life, of hated life, she cried;
And frantic sunk upon his bleeding breast:
Our union here tho’ adverse fate denied,
Yet join’d in death together shall we rest.
A beam of joy shone from his closing eye;
A languid smile his clay-cold face o’erspread;
His gentle spirit, born on one deep sigh,
From earth and all its miseries joyful fled.
As the ripe grass beneath the breeze reclines,
When high the sun in noontide splendour glows;
All bright in silvery waves it floating shines;
When, lo! a sudden cloud its darkness throws.
Thus changeful is the checker’d life of man;
Full many are his griefs, his pleasures few:
‘Tis hard, O heaven!–so short our little span.
So short, alas! and yet so wretched too.
(Elizabeth Scot)
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Based on Topics: Love Poems, Man Poems, Life Poems, Mind Poems, Sadness Poems, Time Poems, Death & Dying Poems, War & Peace Poems, Joy & Excitement Poems, Youth Poems, Heaven PoemsBased on Keywords: hymeneal, espies, centred, advanc, mira, tamely, approving, supplant, terrour, expir, checker