TOUCH not again -- touch not again thy lyre! Forbear that melting strain! It will awake to life my bosom's fire, My heart will feel again; -- That heart which once, with gentle flow, Felt all the joys that love could know. Enchanting thought, and joy and love were there, And Hope's delightful dreams: But Hope was false -- and cankering despair Dissolv'd each pleasing theme; What then my tortur'd breast befel, Forbear, O MEMORY, to tell. Touch not again thy lyre -- my heart's to passion dead, Nor fires my lukewarm mind; Its tort'ring pangs, its pleasures long have fled, And left a dream behind; Alike reliev'd from joy and pain, Reason again resumes her reign. Touch not again -- touch not again thy lyre! Forbear that hallow'd strain! Again forbear to wake my bosom's fire, O wound it not again! For he, whose spring-like years are o'er Can listen to its strains no more. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...ELEGY: 3. CHANGE by JOHN DONNE TO THE BELOVED by ALICE MEYNELL THE FLYING DUTCHMAN by EDWIN ARLINGTON ROBINSON HYMN TO THE WINDS by JOACHIM DU BELLAY THE SPRING OF THE YEAR by ABBIE FARWELL BROWN QUEEN GUENEVERE by EDWARD ROBERT BULWER-LYTTON |