from an ancient inscription, NEAPOLI D. M. Gliconi. Vernae Dulciss.

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from an ancient inscription,
NEAPOLI
D. M.
Gliconi. Vernae Dulciss. [1] 

My boy! beloved boy! Ah who hath torn
Thee from the light of day? and in this tomb
Veiled all thy glowing charms in deepest gloom?
Yet here at least let me forget to mourn
While, all my woe to cheat, I see thee still5
And thus forever with thee speak; until
We rest together -- no! we shall not part!
Here will I dwell! and if oppressed by sleep,
These eyes shall cease to watch, shall cease to weep.
My spirit thus released, with joy will start 10
From its dull prison, and again with thine
In many a pure embrace of fondest love shall join!

Notes

[1] EDITOR'S NOTE: "from an ancient inscription, Neapoli D. M. Gliconi. Vernae Dulciss" does not appear in Psyche, with Other Poems or Mary (or Collected Poems and Journals) and is undated in Verses. It presents a verse translation of the following Latin inscription Thomas Warton published in his 1758 collection Inscriptionum Romanarum Metricarum Delectus: "Verna puer, puer O mi verna, quis ah, quis ab aura / Te in tenebras rapuit perditus? Ah morerer / Nì tecum assidue loquerer, nì saepe jocando / Fallerer, hinc dum te continue aspicio. / Semper ero tecum, et si me sopor occupet, umbram / Te umbra petam, ergo unquam ne metue abs te abeam." BACK

Verses Transcribed for H.T.
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