O had truth power, the guiltless could not fall, Malice win glory, or revenge triumph; But truth alone can not encounter all. Mercy is fled to God, which mercy made; Compassion dead, faith turned to policy, Friends know not those who sit in sorrow's shade. For what we sometime were we are no more, Fortune hath changed our shape, and destiny Defaced the very form we had before. All love and all desert of former times Malice hath covered from my sovereign's eyes, And largely laid abroad supposed crimes. But kings call not to mind what vassals were, But know them now, as envy hath described them; So can I look on no side from despair. Cold walls, to you I speak, but you are senseless; Celestial powers, you hear but have determined, And shall determine to the greatest happiness. Then unto whom shall I unfold my wrong, Cast down my tears or hold up folded hands? To her to whom remorse doth most belong. To her who is the first and may alone Be justly called the Emp'ress of the Britons. Who should have mercy if a Queen have none? Save those that would have died for your defense! Save him whose thoughts no treason ever tainted! For lo, destruction is no recompense. If I have sold my duty, sold my faith To strangers, which was only due to one, No thing I should esteem so dear as death. But if both God and time shall make you know That I your humblest vassal am oppressed, Then cast your eyes on undeserved woe That I and mine may never mourn the miss Of her we had, but praise our living Queen, Who brings us equal, if not greater, bliss. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE LOST LEADER by ROBERT BROWNING A TRIBUTE OF GRASSES by HAMLIN GARLAND THE YEAR'S AWAKENING by THOMAS HARDY THE HARLEM DANCER by CLAUDE MCKAY MY MARYLAND by JAMES RYDER RANDALL A BEAUTIFUL YOUNG NYMPH GOING TO BED by JONATHAN SWIFT |