Night Thoughts (O'Reilly)

1
Have I no future left me? Is there no struggling ray From the sun of my life outshining Down on my darksome way?

Will there no gleam of sunshine Cast o'er my path its light? Willl there no star of hope rise Out of this gloom of night?

Have I 'gainst heaven's warnings Sinfully, madly rushed? Else why thus were my heart strings severed? Why was my love-light crushed?

Oh! I have hopes and yearnings&mdash; Hopes that I know are vain And knowledge robs life of pleasure&mdash; And death of its only pain.

2
Oh! no! I would not love again E'en had I still the power given; I would not risk its pain and fears E'en though its joys were taste of heaven. A breath may blight the heart we prize; A whisper weave deceit around it; And then our heart's most tender chord Is wounded by the chain that bound it.

'Tis hard to see death's chilling hand The life-strings of our treasure sever: But harder still when loving hearts Are rudely rent apart for ever. But ah! such griefs are naught to those That fill the heart where passion burned Till falsehood burst the mask and showed That love by heartless scorn returned.