39
"Yet still—'tis there—in silence stands,
"And beckons with beseeching hands!
"With braided hair, and bright-black eye—
"I kuew 'twas false—she could not die!
"But he is dead—within the dell
"I saw him buried where he fell;
"He comes not—for he cannot break
"From earth—why then art thou awake?
"They told me, wild waves roll'd above
"The face I view, the form I love;
"They told me—'twas a hideous tale!
"I'd tell it—but my tongue would fail—
"If true—and from thine ocean-cave
"Thou com'st to claim a calmer grave;
"Oh! pass thy dewy fingers o'er
"This brow that then will burn no more;
"Or place them on my hopeless heart—
"But, shape or shade!—whate'er thou art,
"In mercy, ne'er again depart—
"Or farther with thee bear my soul,
"Than winds can waft—or waters roll!—
******
"And beckons with beseeching hands!
"With braided hair, and bright-black eye—
"I kuew 'twas false—she could not die!
"But he is dead—within the dell
"I saw him buried where he fell;
"He comes not—for he cannot break
"From earth—why then art thou awake?
"They told me, wild waves roll'd above
"The face I view, the form I love;
"They told me—'twas a hideous tale!
"I'd tell it—but my tongue would fail—
"If true—and from thine ocean-cave
"Thou com'st to claim a calmer grave;
"Oh! pass thy dewy fingers o'er
"This brow that then will burn no more;
"Or place them on my hopeless heart—
"But, shape or shade!—whate'er thou art,
"In mercy, ne'er again depart—
"Or farther with thee bear my soul,
"Than winds can waft—or waters roll!—
******
