STANZAS Written for Angela 1800
STANZAS
Written for Angela
1800 [1]
Oh! seal my sad and weary eyes
Sleep! soft suspense of human woe!
The day's long hours may sure suffice
For sighs to swell, and tears to flow--
Oh! be the night to sorrow dear,5
Sacred to cheering, calm repose;
Nor let the secret, wasting tear
Forbid the watchful lid to close.
Let me resign this load of grief
In thy divinely, soothing arms,10
For thou canst yield some short relief
Ev'n to the soul remorse alarms.
How blest are they who lay them down
And sleep, to wake in life no more;
At least, if dreams of power unknown15
Haunt not death's dark, and silent shore.
What hope in life for me remains,
What prospect cheers the dreary gloom?
Ungrateful heart forget thy pains!
Love shall some future night illume.20
Banish the agonizing thought
How swift the parting hour must come,
Be future woes no longer sought,
Nor thus anticipate thy doom.
I yet may hope the blissful night25
Shall bring me all in life I prize,
And to my captivated sight
Restore the joy of those fond eyes.
His tender voice I yet shall hear,
His eye shall beam delight and love;30
The happy hour that brings him near
Awhile shall every pang remove.
Breathless with trembling joy, once more
This agitated heart shall leap;
The hours of long impatience o'er35
Shall hail once more his well known step.
Assur'd his heart is only thine,
On this dear hope enchanted dwell,
And let its influence benign
Suspicion's dreary clouds dispel.40
Come dear delusion, lov'd deceit,
This weight of fear awhile remove,
With flattering dreams my reason cheat,
Hide every form that threatens Love!
Oh say, in bonds of happiest fate,45
Our days united yet shall live,
Oh say, that peace, and love await
The fairer hours our hopes shall give.
Let me forget the cruel truth
That peace with innocence is gone,50
That ceaseless tears shall waste my youth
All hope, all bliss forever flown.
