When I am pass'd away. Thou art the mould And thrilling voice of song! when he came nigh, Thro' his pierc'd bosom-on its tones to bear Wafts the faint myrtle's breath,-to rise, to swell, To sink away in accents of farewell, If love be strong as death! III. Now fair thou art, Thou form, whose life is of my burning heart! I cannot make thee! Oh! I might have given I might have kindled, with the fire of heaven, Are ever but as some wild fitful song, IV. Yet the world will see Little of this, my parting work, in thee, Thou shalt have fame! Oh, mockery! give the reed From storms a shelter,-give the drooping vine Something round which its tendrils may entwine,-- Give the parch'd flower a rain-drop, and the meed Of love's kind words to woman! Worthless fame! That in his bosom wins not for my name Th' abiding-place it ask'd! Yet how my heart, In its own fairy world of song and art, Once beat for praise !--Are those high longings o'er? That which I have been can I be no more ?- Never, oh! never more; tho' still thy sky And tho' the music, whose rich breathings fill Where'er I move, Never, oh! never more! The shadow of this broken-hearted love Is on me and around! Too well they know, Whose life is all within, too soon and well, When there the blight hath settled ;-but I go Under the silent wings of peace to dwell; From the slow wasting, from the lonely pain, The inward burning of those words-" in vain," Sear'd on the heart-I go. 'Twill soon be past. Sunshine, and song, and bright Italian heaven, And thou, oh! thou, on whom my spirit cast Unvalued wealth,--who know'st not what was given In that devotedness,-the sad, and deep, And unrepaid farewell! If I could weep Once, only once, belov'd one! on thy breast, Pouring my heart forth ere I sink to rest! But that were happiness, and unto me Earth's gift is fame. Yet I was form'd to be So richly blest! With thee to watch the sky, Speaking not, feeling but that thou wert nigh; With thee to listen, while the tones of song This had been joy enough ;-and hour by hour, A glory for thy brow!-Dreams, dreams!-the fire Burns faint within me. Yet I leave my name→ As a deep thrill may linger on the lyre When its full chords are hush'd--awhile to live, Sad thoughts of me :-I leave it, with a sound, A spell o'er memory, mournfully profound, I leave it, on my country's air to dwell, Say proudly yet--"'Twas her's who lov'd me well!" |