THE DRUNKARD'S WIFE.
(originally written for a "temperance journal.")
'Tis midnight! and the heavy hours roll on
With tardy course, with lingering lazy wing,
And wearied man to seek repose is gone,
To sooth in sleep the wounds of sorrow's sting.
With tardy course, with lingering lazy wing,
And wearied man to seek repose is gone,
To sooth in sleep the wounds of sorrow's sting.
Forlorn and solitary here I sit,
Beside my desolated hearth alone;
Dark thoughts across my tortured fancy flit,
And joy hath fled,—n ay, even hope is gone.
Beside my desolated hearth alone;
Dark thoughts across my tortured fancy flit,
And joy hath fled,—n ay, even hope is gone.
Why comes he not! my own, my trusted one,
Round whom my heart's affections fondly twine?
Why does he leave me thus unheard to mourn,
And watch, with anguished heart, night's slow decline?
Round whom my heart's affections fondly twine?
Why does he leave me thus unheard to mourn,
And watch, with anguished heart, night's slow decline?
Retentive memory wandering to the past,—
Brings back the days when first my youthful heart
Felt that affection which through life must last,
And only with its latest throb depart.
Brings back the days when first my youthful heart
Felt that affection which through life must last,
And only with its latest throb depart.
'Twas then I vowed to share his joy and woe,
And he to bear with me the ills of life,
To be my friend and guardian here below,
And I to be his ever faithful wife.
And he to bear with me the ills of life,
To be my friend and guardian here below,
And I to be his ever faithful wife.
Yes! and my marriage vow I've truly kept,
And through the many changes we have known,
When I have laughed in glee, in anguish wept,
Both smiles and tears were ever all his own.
And through the many changes we have known,
When I have laughed in glee, in anguish wept,
Both smiles and tears were ever all his own.
But when the labours of the day are done,
From home and me he spends his hours of joy;
Whilst 1 in bitter anguish weep alone,
And count the tardy moment rolling by.
From home and me he spends his hours of joy;
Whilst 1 in bitter anguish weep alone,
And count the tardy moment rolling by.
With anxious ear I list to every sound,
And my heart flutters at each tone I hear;
Until some distant clock, with toll profound,
Proclaims the first dim hour of morning near.
And my heart flutters at each tone I hear;
Until some distant clock, with toll profound,
Proclaims the first dim hour of morning near.
At length he reeling comes, with maddened brain,
Whilst I, absorbed in sorrow, pale with woe,
Hear with a shudder the wild curse profane,
Or trembling, shrink beneath the unmanly blow.
Whilst I, absorbed in sorrow, pale with woe,
Hear with a shudder the wild curse profane,
Or trembling, shrink beneath the unmanly blow.
Oh! when will all this bitter grief be o'er?
When will my broken spirit be at rest?
When shall my eyes be dried to weep no more?
Oh! when shall peace possess my tortured breast?
When will my broken spirit be at rest?
When shall my eyes be dried to weep no more?
Oh! when shall peace possess my tortured breast?
Not until death his welcome aid shall lend,
And end at once my sorrows and my life;
No earthly power can with success befriend
The poor unhappy wretch, a Drunkard's Wife!
And end at once my sorrows and my life;
No earthly power can with success befriend
The poor unhappy wretch, a Drunkard's Wife!