BEWARE, beware, ere thou takest The draught of misery! Beware, beware, e'er thou wakest The scorpions that sleep in thee! The woes which thou canst not number, As yet are wrapt in sleep; Yet oh! yet they slumber, But their slumbers are not deep. Yet oh! yet while the rancour Of hate has no place in thee, While thy buoyant soul has an anchor In youth's bright tranquil sea: Yet oh! yet while the blossom Of hope is blooming fair, While the beam of bliss lights thy bosom -- O! rouse not the serpent there! For bitter thy tears will trickle 'Neath misery's heavy load, When the world has put in its sickle To the crop which fancy sow'd. When the world has rent the cable That bound thee to the shore, And launched thee weak and unable To bear the billow's roar; Then the slightest touch will waken Those pangs that will always grieve thee, And thy soul will be fiercely shaken With storms that will never leave thee! So beware, beware, ere thou takest The draught of misery! Beware, beware, ere thou wakest The scorpions that sleep in thee! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...MY FAMILIAR DREAM by PAUL VERLAINE TO A FRIEND by WILLIAM CARLOS WILLIAMS I LOVE ALL BEAUTEOUS THINGS by ROBERT SEYMOUR BRIDGES ON THE DEATH OF BENJAMIN FRANKLIN by PHILIP FRENEAU TO MRS. THRALE [ON HER COMPLETING HER THIRTY-FIFTH YEAR] by SAMUEL JOHNSON (1709-1784) THE BIGLOW PAPERS. 2D SERIES. THE COURTIN' by JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL |