WHAT tho’ my cheeks thy pallid liv’ry wear.
And each enfeebled nerve thy pow’r obeys!
Tho’ hourly doom’d thy chilling grasp to bear,
I shiver in the summer’s noontide blaze!
Yet will I welcome thy chastising hand,
Since thou hast left my mind her wonted pow’rs;
Since Reason still maintains her high command,
And sportive Fancy gilds my lonely hours.
Pleas’d I behold the morning’s orient dye;
The verdant path delights, tho’ now untrod;
And unimpair’d by thee, my mental eye
Still looks thro’ Nature up to Nature’s GOD.
Page 14
And many a lesson thy pale lips have taught,
Which e’en Philosophy had preach’d in vain;
With many a truth, by Science vainly sought,
Where Health exulting leads her jocund train.
For these my heart its grateful tribute pays,
And owns with joy their salutary pow’r;
For these the Muse delights to sing thy praise,
In simple strains that cheer the midnight hour.
And who shall say-that Happiness denies
To thy pale victim her enliv’ning ray?
E’en Rapture oft from Health’s gay votary flies,
To warm the shiv’ring bosom of Decay.
Yes!-Rapture waits on Friendship’s beaming smiles,
As o’er the couch of Pain she graceful bends;
Her soothing voice the ling’ring hour beguiles,
Her gentle, influence thy pow’r suspends.
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Far, far less joy that voice that smile inspire,
When wing’d with health and ease the minutes fly,
When Pleasure’s songs the careless bosom fire,
And Hope’s gay prospects charm the laughing eye.
(Maria Logan)
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Based on Topics: God Poems, Friendship Poems, Fire Poems, Pain Poems, Smiling Poems, Morning Poems, Truth Poems, Summer Poems, Praise Poems, Inspirational PoemsBased on Keywords: salutary, enliv, chastising, unimpair, say-that