"His death sits lightly; but her fate "Has made me what thou well may'st hate. "His doom was seal'd-he knew it well, "Warn'd by the voice of stern Taheer, Deep in whose darkly boding ear (40) "The deathshot peal'd of murder near, "As filed the troop to where they fell! "He died too in the battle broil, "A time that heeds nor pain nor toil; "One cry to Mahomet for aid, "One prayer to Alla all he made: "He knew and cross'd me in the fray"I gazed upon him where he lay, "And watch'd his spirit ebb away: "Though pierced like pard by hunters' steel, "He felt not half that now I feel. I search'd, but vainly search'd, to find "The workings of a wounded mind; "Each feature of that sullen corse "Betray'd his rage, but no remorse. "Oh, what had Vengeance given to trace Despair upon his dying face! 66 "The late repentance of that hour, "When Penitence hath lost her power * * * * * "The cold in clime are cold in blood, "Their love can scarce deserve the name; "But mine was like the lava flood "That boils in Ætna's breast of flame. "I cannot prate in puling strain “Of ladye-love, and beauty's chain: "If changing cheek, and scorching vein, "Lips taught to writhe, but not complain, "If bursting heart, and madd'ning brain, "And daring deed, and vengeful steel, "And all that I have felt, and feel, "Betoken love-that love was mine, "And shown by many a bitter sign. "'Tis true, I could not whine nor sigh, "I knew but to obtain or die. "I die-but first I have possess'd, "And come what may, I have been blest. "Shall I the doom I sought upbraid? "No-reft of all, yet undismay'd "But for the thought of Leila slain, "Give me the pleasure with the pain, "So would I live and love again. "I grieve, but not, my holy guide! "For him who dies, but her who died: "She sleeps beneath the wandering wave— "Ah! had she but an earthly grave, "This breaking heart and throbbing head "Should seek and share her narrow bed. "She was a form of life and light, "That, seen, became a part of sight; "And rose, where'er I turn'd mine eye, "The Morning-star of Memory! "Yes, Love indeed is light from heaven; "A spark of that immortal fire "With angels shared, by Alla given, "To lift from earth our low desire. "Devotion wafts the mind above, “That quench'd, what beam shall break my night? "Oh! would it shone to lead me still, Although to death or deadliest ill! "Why marvel ye, if they who lose "This present joy, this future hope, "No more with sorrow meekly cope; "In phrensy then their fate accuse: "In madness do those fearful deeds "That seem to add but guilt to woe? "Alas! the breast that inly bleeds "Hath nought to dread from outward blow: "Who falls from all he knows of bliss, "Cares little into what abyss. "Fierce as the gloomy vulture's now "To thee, old man, my deeds appear: "I read abhorrence on thy brow, "And this too was I born to bear! ""Tis true, that, like that bird of prey, "With havock have I mark'd my way: "But this was taught me by the dove, "To die-and know no second love. "This lesson yet hath man to learn, "Taught by the thing he dares to spurn: “The bird that sings within the brake, "The swan that swims upon the lake, "One mate, and one alone, will take. "And let the fool still prone to range, "And sneer on all who cannot change, "Partake his jest with boasting boys; "I envy not his varied joys, "But deem such feeble, heartless man, “Less than yon solitary swan; 66 Far, far beneath the shallow maid "He left believing and betray'd. "Such shame at least was never mine"Leila! each thought was only thine! "My good, my guilt, my weal, my woe, 66 'My hope on high-my all below. "Earth holds no other like to thee, "Or, if it doth, in vain for me: "For worlds I dare not view the dame "Resembling thee, yet not the same. "The very crimes that mar my youth, "This bed of death-attest my truth! ""Tis all too late-thou wert, thou art "The cherish'd madness of my heart! "And she was lost-and yet I breathed, "But not the breath of human life: "A serpent round my heart was wreathed, "And stung my every thought to strife. "Alike all time, abhorr'd all place, Shuddering I shrunk from Nature's face, "Where every hue that charm'd before "The deed that's done canst thou undo? distress! "In earlier days, and calmer hours, "When heart with heart delights to blend, "Where bloom my native valley's bowers "I had-Ah! have I now?-a friend! "To him this pledge I charge thee send, "Memorial of a youthful vow; "I would remind him of my end: "Though souls absorb'd like mine allow "Brief thought to distant friendship's claim, "Yet dear to him my blighted name. |