O timeless guest! -- so soon returned art thou, Hope's sickly gleam with cruel haste to quench, To mock the prayer, and scorn the trembling vow, I feel thy fatal power and vainly bid thee hence. -- Still, still thou com'st in dreadful guise to me, Howe'er to others fair thy form appear; Not shapeless things with midnight witchery Could so appall my soul -- so chill my breast, with fear! -- Now fateful is thy look! -- thou lead'st me, -- where? O well, thou lead'st me to my destined place, And bid'st me close my eyes for ever there. Nor view thee wrapped in Henry's dear embrace: Yes -- proud one, haste thee to the nuptial shrine, I sleep in death's cold arms -- ere Henry sleep in thine. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THOUGHTS OF A TINY PIG by DAVID IGNATOW THE FALCONER OF GOD by WILLIAM ROSE BENET IN TENEBRIS: 2 by THOMAS HARDY THE SOBBING OF THE BELLS (MIDNIGHT, SEPT. 19-20, 1881) by WALT WHITMAN THE CASE OF SABRINA SIMPSON USCH by FRANKLIN PIERCE ADAMS AGAMEMNON: THE BEACONS by AESCHYLUS TO THE SHAH (1) by AWHAD AD-DIN 'ALI IBN VAHID MUHAMMAD KHAVARANI |