To Thyrza
by George Gordon, Lord Byron
(Composed: 11 October 1811)
1
- Without a stone to mark the spot,
- And say, what Truth might well have said,
- By all, save one, perchance forgot,
- Ah! Wherefore art thou lowly laid?
2
- By many a shore and many a sea
- Divided, yet beloved in vain;
- The Past, the Future fled to thee,
- To bid us meetnoneer again!
3
- Could this have beena word, a look,
- That softly said, We part in peace,
- Had taught my bosom how to brook,
- With fainter sighs, thy souls release.
4
- And didst thou not, since Death for thee
- Prepared a light and pangless dart,
- Once long for him thou neer shall see
- Who held, and holds thee in his heart?
5
- Oh! Who like him had watchd thee here?
- Or sadly markd thy glazing eye,
- In that dread hour ere death appear,
- When silent sorrow fears to sigh,
6
- Till all was past? But when no more
- Twas thine to reck of human woe,
- Affections heart-drops, gushing oer
- Had flowd as fastas now they flow.
7
- Shall they not flow, when many a day
- In these, to me, deserted towers,
- Ere calld but for a time away,
- Affections mingling tears were ours?
8
- Ours too the glance none saw beside;
- The smile none else might understand;
- The whisperd thought of hearts allied,
- The pressure of the thrilling hand.
9
- The kiss, so guiltless and refined,
- That Love each warmer wish forbore;
- Those eyes proclaimd so pure a mind
- Even Passion blushd to plead for more.
10
- The tone, that taught me to rejoice,
- When prone, unlike thee, to repine;
- The song, celestial from thy voice,
- But sweet to me from none but thine;
11
- The pledge we woreI wear it still,
- But where is thine?Ah! Where art thou?
- Oft have I borne the weight of ill,
- But never bent beneath till now!
12
- Well hast thou left in lifes best bloom
- The cup of woe for me to drain.
- If rest alone be in the tomb,
- I would not wish thee here again.
13
- But if in worlds more blest than this
- Thy virtues seek a fitter sphere,
- Impart some portion of thy bliss,
- To wean me from mine anguish here.
14
- Teach metoo early taught by thee!
- To bear, forgiving and forgiven:
- On earth thy love was such to me;
- It fain would form my hope in heaven!
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