Upon a hard-won battle-field,
Whose recent blood-stains shock the skies,
By hasty burial half-concealed,
With death in his dear eyes,
My soldier lies.

Oh, thought more sharp than bayonet-thrust,—
Of blood-drops on his silken hair,
Of his white forehead in the dust,
Of his last-gasping prayer,
And I not there!

I know, while his warm life escaped,
And his blue eyes closed shudderingly,
His heart's last fluttering pulses shaped
One yearning wish for me,—
Oh agony!

For I, in cruel ignorance,

Though clear the day, it fadeth,
Though calm the starry night,
The dreams her mantle shadeth
Die with the morning light.
Though softly the rose twineth
Her odours with the air,
Her silent head declineth,
Like love beneath despair:
The graceful flower expireth,
The shapeless rocks yet lour,
Nor storm, nor earthquake, tireth
The ocean's hungry roar.
The lute of woman weareth
Beneath a hand of snow,
The sword of manhood beareth
The battle's iron blow:
The gay, the soft, the splendid,
Like the bright mirage flieth:

The drifting clouds are dark and drear,
The blossoms die of cold and fear,
The wild wind mourns the fading year,
And winter threatens near.

O love, our sky is overcast,
Our sweet hopes fall before the blast,
The future darkens, dim and vast,
And life is wearing fast.

Yet sunshine brightens after rain,
The darkness comes and goes again,
So solace follows bitter pain,
As seasons wax and wane.

Then clasp my hand with closer hold,
True hearts are never unconsoled, —
They fear not care, nor cloud, nor cold,

Love , bad me hope, and I obey'd,
Phillis continu'd still unkind,
Then you may e'ne despair he said,
In vain I strive to change her Mind.

Honor's got in, and keeps her Heart;
Durst he but venture once abroad,
In my own right I'd take your part,
And shew my self the mightier God .

This huffing Honour domineers,
In Breasts alone, where he has place;
But if true gen'rous Love appears,
The Hector dares not shew his Face.

Let me still languish and complain,
Be most unhumanly deny'd,
I have some pleasure in my pain,

Sagesse d'un Louis Racine, je t'envie!
O n'avoir pas suivi les leçons de Rollin,
N'être pas ne dans le grand siecle a son declin,
Quand le soleil couchant, si beau, dorait la vie,

Quand Maintenon jetait sur la France ravie
L'ombre douce et la paix de ses coiffes de lin,
Et royale abritait la veuve et l'orphelin,
Quand l'etude de la priere etait suivie,

Quand poete et docteur, simplement, bonnement,
Communiaient avec des ferveurs de novices,
Humbles servaient la Messe et chantaient aux offices

Give me leave to raile at you,
I aske nothing but my due;
To call you false, and then to say,
You shall not keepe my Heart a Day.
But (Alas!) against my will,
I must be your Captive still.
Ah! be kinder then, for I,
Cannot change, and wou'd not dye.

Kindnesse has resistlesse Charmes,
All besides but weakly move,
Fiercest Anger it disarmes,
And Clips the Wings of flying Love.
Beauty does the Heart invade,
Kindnesse only can perswade;
It guilds the Lovers Servile Chaine
And makes the Slave grow pleas'd and vaine.

1.

What Cruel pains Corinna takes,
To force that harmless frown:
When not one Charm her Face forsakes,
Love cannot lose his own.

2.

So sweet a Face, so soft a Heart,
Such Eyes so very kind,
Betray, alas! the silly Art
Virtue had ill design'd.

3.

Poor feeble Tyrant! who in vain
Would proudly take upon her,
Against kind Nature to maintain
Affected Rules of Honour.

Let them go!—they are brave, I know—
But a berth like this, why it suits me best;
I can't carry back the Old Colors to-day,
We've come together a long, rough way—
Here's as good a spot as any to rest.

No look, I reckon, to hold them long;
So here, in the turf, with my bayonet,
To dig for a bit, and plant them strong—
(Look out for the point—we may want it yet!)

Dry work!—but the old canteen holds fast
A few drops of water—not over-fresh—
So, for a drink!—it may be the last—
My respects to you, Mr. Secesh!

To this moment a Rebell I throw down my Arms
Great Love at first sight of Olindas bright Charms
Made prowd and secure by such forces as these
You may now be a Tyrant as soon as you please.

When Innocence, Beauty, and witt doe Conspire,
To betray, and engage, and enflame my Desire,
Why should I decline what I cannott avoyd
And let pleaseing hope by base fear be destroy'd.

Her Innocence cannott contrive to undoe me,
Her beauties enclin'd, or why should it pursue me,
And witt has to pleasure been ever a Freind,

Yard-arm to yard-arm we lie
Alongside the Ship of Hell—
And still through the sulphury sky
The terrible clang goes high,
Broadside and battle cry,
And the pirates' maddened yell!

Our Captain's cold on the deck,
Our brave Lieutenant's a wreck—
He lies in the hold there, hearing
The storm of fight going on overhead,
Tramp and thunder to wake the dead!
The great guns jumping overhead,
And the whole ship's company cheering!

Four hours the Death-Fight has roared,
(Gun-deck and berth-deck blood-wet!)