Oh happy you! who blest with present bliss
See not with fatal prescience future tears,
Nor the dear moment of enjoyment miss
Through gloomy discontent, or sullen fears
Foreboding many a storm for coming years;
Change is the lot of all. Ourselves with scorn
Perhaps shall view what now so fair appears;
And wonder whence the fancied charm was born
Which now with vain despair from our fond grasp is torn!
Vain schemer, think not to prolong thy joy!
But cherish while it lasts the heavenly boon;
Expand thy sails! thy little bark shall fly
With the full tide of pleasure! though it soon
May feel the influence of the changeful moon,
It yet is thine! then let not doubts obscure
With cloudy vapours veil thy brilliant noon,
Nor let suspicion’s tainted breath impure
Poison the favouring gale which speeds thy course secure!
Oh, Psyche, happy in thine ignorance!
Couldst thou but shun this heart tormenting bane;
Be but content, nor daringly advance
To meet the bitter hour of threatened pain;
Pure spotless dove! seek thy safe nest again;
Let true affection shun the public eye,
And quit the busy circle of the vain,
For there the treacherous snares concealed lie;
Oh timely warned escape! to safe retirement fly!
Bright shone the morn! and now its golden ray
Dispelled the slumbers from her radiant eyes,
Yet still in dreams her fancy seems to play,
For lo! she sees with rapture and surprise
Full in her view the well-known mansion rise,
And each loved scene of first endearment hails;
The air that first received her infant sighs
With wondring ecstasy she now inhales,
While every trembling nerve soft tenderness assails.
See from the dear pavilion, where she lay,
Breathless she flies with scarce assured feet,
Swift through the garden wings her eager way,
Her mourning parents ravished eyes to greet
With loveliest apparition strange and sweet:
Their days of anguish all o’erpaid they deem
By one blest hour of ecstasy so great:
Yet doubtingly they gaze, and anxious seem
To ask their raptured souls, “Oh, is this all a dream?”
The wondrous tale attentively they hear,
Repeated oft in broken words of joy,
She in their arms embraced, while every ear
Hangs on their Psyche’s lips, and earnestly
On her is fixed each wonder speaking eye;
Till the sad hour arrives which bids them part,
And twilight darkens o
(Mary Tighe)
More Poetry from Mary Tighe:
Mary Tighe Poems based on Topics: Dreams, Joy & Excitement, Pleasure, Pain, Charm, Soul, Garden, Ignorance, Change, Sadness, Happiness- Psyche ; or, the Legend of Love: Canto V. (Mary Tighe Poems)
- Psyche ; or, the Legend of Love: Canto VI. (Mary Tighe Poems)
- Psyche ; or, the Legend of Love: Canto IV. (Mary Tighe Poems)
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Based on Topics: Sadness Poems, Soul Poems, Joy & Excitement Poems, Dreams Poems, Pain Poems, Happiness Poems, Pleasure Poems, Garden Poems, Change Poems, Charm Poems, Ignorance PoemsBased on Keywords: attentively, wondring, endearment, inhales, schemer, daringly, erpaid, doubtingly