Page:Tales and Historic Scenes.pdf/25

Rh

No! 'tis the child of tempests, and defies, And meets unchanged, the anger of the skies! Too well I feel, with grief's prophetic heart, That ne'er to meet in happier days, we part. We part! and e'en this agonizing hour, When love first feels his own o'erwhelming power, Shall soon to Memory's fixed and tearful eye Seem almost happiness—for thou wert nigh! Yes! when this heart in solitude shall bleed, As days to days all wearily succeed, When doom'd to weep in loneliness, 'twill be Almost like rapture to have wept with thee.

"But thou, my Hamet, thou canst yet bestow All that of joy my blighted lot can know. Oh! be thou still the high-soul'd and the brave, To whom my first and fondest vows I gave, In thy proud fame's untarnish'd beauty still The lofty visions of my youth fulfil, So shall it soothe me, 'midst my heart's despair, To hold undimm'd one glorious image there!"

"Zayda, my best-beloved! my words too well, Too soon, thy bright illusions must dispel;