Classic Poem

Remorseless Tyrant, Savage brave,
Lord of the silent, mould'ring Grave,
Unsated Death — whose Glance severe
Levels the scorpion-pointed Spear;
Oh — quit the Charnel's loathsome Gloom,
The baleful Vault — the fretted Tomb; —
One Moment leave thy shrouded Throne,
Where Night's lorn Birds their Anguish moan;
I charge Thee to the garish Day,
To eke thy venom'd Spleen away!
Ah — could'st thou not the Shaft recede,
Nor pause upon the barb'rous Deed;

Had blushing Innocence no Pow'r
To lure thee — for a longer Hour!
A Mother's Storm of Grief no Sway,
To lengthen yet their little Day,
Nor O NE thine Avarice supply,
But two bright Cherubims must die?
Unfeeling Death — thy Triumph's great,
Yet Thou , proud Fiend, shall yield to Time and Fate

Beneath yon aged Yew-tree's Shade,
The loit'ring Genius of the Glade,
O'er the fresh Sod his wild Gaze throws,
That Gaze impierc'd with sharpest Woes;
By Grief subdued, his Eyes refuse
To shed their pure consoling Dews;
And thus in soft pathetic Strains,
To the lone Mansions he complains:
" Ah me! — whose solitary Breath
" Dwells on the faint chill Ear of Death;
" In vain does rosy Morning bring,
" The Perfumes of the blooming Spring;

" In vain do Nature's Charms appear,
" Drest in the Pride of vernal Year;
" Alas — to me, the ruby Light,
" Is but the Shadow of the Night —
" Those Joys I fondly strove to keep,
" In their cold Cell forever sleep: —
" Then Hope no more my Feelings mock, By thy Delusions tam'd I'll bear the Shock! — "
Around each quiv'ring Fibre twine;
The Muse with temper'd Lustre skill,
And calm the Pulse of Passion's Trill;
O'er Sorrow's fainting fev'rish Sense
Thy mental Solaces dispense —
Lo, meek eyed Pity , Virgin bright,
As to her God she wings her Flight,
Drops from her Eye the sacred Tear,
And with it gems the Infant Bier ;
To meet her, the celestial Band,
On the V IA L ACTEA stand;
The little Cherubs lead the Maid,
Through the transparent brilliant Glade;
Where Stars on Stars the Concave grace,
The Diamonds of etherial Space: —
And thus the lovely Seraphs sing,
" Return to Earth on Glory's Wing,

" Our S IRE this fond Assurance give That We in Heaven's fair Realms for ever live!