“HERE! take this potent charm,” Mauritius said,
“And see if Time hath ought in store for thee;
“With care beneath thy downy pillow laid
“‘Twill sure reveal whate’er the Fates decree.
“Thrice has it three times pass’d the encircling gold
“That decks the linger of Mercutio’s bride,
“And in mysterious vision ’twill unfold
“The good or ill thy watchful stars provide!”
The maid receives the gift, with grateful heart,
Nor doubts the virtue, spells like these impart;
Impatiently she waits the silent hour,
When Reason yields to Fancy’s sportive pow’r:
The toilette’s tribute hastily she pays,
And short-ah! very short-the pray’r she says;
With hasty tone she cries,-“Put out the light!”
And thinks it loss of time to bid good night:
With anxious care beneath her pillow lays
The potent charm that holds her future days.
Tho’ long the drowsy god his aid denies,
Bright visions dance before her waking eyes:
Awhile the smart cockade and martial air,
The sword and nodding plume engage her care,
But soon they yield to mine substantial charms,
And the huge bale, well-pack’d, her bosom warms.
These pond’rous blessings quickly cease to please,
The verdant fields delight, and balmy breeze,
The rosy squire the merchant’s place supplies,
And dear-lov’d ponies prance before her eyes:
Long, long she dwells on these with fond delight
“Be these,” she cries, “the visions of the night!”
Next Learning’s sons appear, a solemn train;
And law and physic fill her giddy brain;
The church-Ah no!-she enters not its door,
And Presbyterian parsons are too poor.
At length, fatigu’d, she turns her weary head,
Sleep seals her eyes, each airy form is fled.
Ah,-simple maid!-and dost thou hope to find
The mystic dream, like that of Fancy, kind!
Better, far better, hadst thou kept awake,
Or ate, for supper, the prophetic cake.
Awhile the traces of the waking hour
Return in spite of Fate and Fortune’s pow’r;
Awhile the well-dress’d youth transports her view,
But morning dreams, as poets sing, are true:
The bellman’s voice proclaims approaching day,
The sons of Commerce trudge their wonted way,
When lo! Maria’s frighted eyes behold
An haggard spectre, wrinkled, lean, and old;
A peevish virgin’s spiteful look she wears,
And in her arms a tabby cat she bears:
Malignant pleasure darting from her eyes,
“Hear, wretched maid! thy doom,” she shrilly cries;
“Vain is thy hope to fire the merchant’s breast,
“No empty purse deprives his soul of rest;
“The word and plume are all the Hero’s store;
“Be timely wise and dream of these no more:
“All thoughts of squire and pony quick resign
“Nor squire nor pony ever shall be thine:
“In me behold the peevish maiden’s lot,
“By all despis’d, neglected, and forgot,
“The scorn of man, the gentle female’s dread;
“Such must thou be, when youth and year are fled:
“E’en Tray will cease thy gloomy hearth to grace-
“Learn then betimes to prize the tabby race;
“Receive, with thankful heart, my purring friend,
“For she alone thy footsteps shall attend-
“Such is the will of Fate!”-No more she said,
But while she stroked her furry darling’s head,
Approach’d the maid, who gaz’d with frighted air
And tearful eye, upon the grizly pair;
On her pale cheek no dimpled smiles appear,
No outstretched arms receive a gift so dear;
All this the hag, with rage indignant spy’d-
“And dost thou spurn my offer’d boon!” she cry’d;
“Take then, ungrateful fair! the veng’ance due”-
That instant puss upon Selina flew,
With back erect and savage tiger glare,
While lambent light’ning sparkled thro’ her hair:
As with keen fangs her dire revenge she took,
Half-dead with fear the trembling maid awoke.
(Maria Logan)
More Poetry from Maria Logan:
Maria Logan Poems based on Topics: Fairness, Friendship, Mind, Light, Sleep, Charm, Night, Fate & Destiny, Vice & Virtue, Man, Sons- Ode On Hope (Maria Logan Poems)
- To Sleep (Maria Logan Poems)
- Stanzas To The Moon (Maria Logan Poems)
- To The Author's Brother. On the choice of a Wife in the Year 1789 (Maria Logan Poems)
- To Opium (Maria Logan Poems)
- To Adelina. Written while reading the Third Volume of Mrs Smith's 'Orphan of the Castle' (Maria Logan Poems)
Readers Who Like This Poem Also Like:
Based on Topics: Man Poems, Night Poems, Light Poems, Mind Poems, Time Poems, Fairness Poems, Dreams Poems, Friendship Poems, Cry Poems, Sleep Poems, Fate & Destiny PoemsBased on Keywords: bellman, cockade, fatigu, dear-lov, presbyterian, deprives, toilette, grizly, cries-, well-dress, mercutio
- The Hind And The Panther, A Poem In Three Parts : Part I. (John Henry Dryden Poems)
- The Tragedy of White Injustice (Marcus Mosiah Garvey Poems)
- Resignation Pt 1 (Edward Young Poems)
- The Minstrel; Or, The Progress Of Genius : Book I. (James Beattie Poems)
- A Poem On The African Slave Trade. Addressed To Her Own Sex. Part II (Mary Birkett Card Poems)