Page:Landon in Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book 1839.pdf/9

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I loved—must love him—that ’twas vain To reason or to chide— That life, unless it gave me him, Could nothing give beside.

Ah! never till it loves, the heart Is conscious of its powers; What knows the undeveloped spring Of summer’s golden hours?

I saw him—and my inmost soul Its stamp, his image, took; The passion of a lifetime sprang Upon a single look.

A sudden and a strange delight Seemed eager at my heart, A childlike pleasure, which to all Its gladness must impart.

I found a thousand charms in life Till then life never wore! I marvelled, in my deep content, I had been sad before.

I never knew what music was Until his voice I heard; And never beat my heart so fast As at his lightest word.

I would have rather been his slave Than reigned alone his queen; He was my life—and wanting him What would the world have been?

He shared the dream, or seemed to share— Days, weeks, and months passed by. Never more perfect happiness Was seen beneath the sky.

We parted—not in doubt or fear— I wondered he could part; And the first sense of misery Awakened in my heart.