The Poems of Felicia Hemans

Fair land! of chivalry the old domain, Land of the vine and olive, lovely Spain! Though not for thee with classic shores to vie In charms that fix th’ enthusiast’s pensive eye;...

Heroes of elder days! untaught to yield, Who bled for Spain on many an ancient field; Ye that around the oaken cross of yore[87] Stood firm and fearless on Asturia’s shore, And...

Hast thou a scene that is not spread With records of thy glory fled? A monument that doth not tell The tale of liberty’s farewell? Italia! thou art but a grave Where flowers lux...

_Phe._ Can there be grief when from his bed of death Admetus rises? What deep mystery lurks Within thy words? What mean’st thou? Gracious heaven! Thou, whose deep love is all hi...

_Ant._ Ah! thou hast not learn’d, By sad experience, with how slow a pace Joys ever come; expected long, and oft Deceiving expectation! while the steps Of grief o’ertake us ere...

They must have heard it now.--Oh! that at least I might have died far from them! Though their hearts Had bled to hear the tidings, yet the hour, The solemn hour of nature’s part...

_Car._ O ye afflicted ones! Heaven knows I dread its pangs for you alone. Long have my thoughts been used to look on Death, And calmly wait his time. For you alone My soul hath...

_1st Pea._ Ay, this was wont to be a festal time In days gone by! I can remember well The old familiar melodies that rose At break of morn, from all our purple hills, To welcome...

_Vit._ Have I not told thee, that I bear a heart Blighted and cold?--Th’ affections of my youth Lie slumbering in the grave; their fount is closed, And all the soft and playful...

_Con._ There is a shadow far within your eye, Which hath of late been deepening. You were wont, Upon the clearness of your open brow, To wear a brighter spirit, shedding round J...

_Con._ Will you not hear me? Oh! that they who need Hourly forgiveness--they who do but live While mercy’s voice, beyond th’ eternal stars, Wins the great Judge to listen, shoul...

_Pro._ Keep the flame bright, But hidden till this hour. Wouldst thou dare, lady, To join our councils at the night’s mid watch, In the lone cavern by the rock-hewn cross?

_Pro._ In the lands Where I have been a wanderer, your deep wrongs Were number’d with our country’s; but their tale Came only in faint echoes to mine ear. I would fain hear it now.

_Pro._ And is it thus, beneath the solemn skies Of midnight, and in solitary caves, Where the wild forest creatures make their lair-- Is’t thus the chiefs of Sicily must hold Th...

_Vit._ Speak not of love--it is a word with deep Strange magic in its melancholy sound, To summon up the dead; and they should rest, At such an hour, forgotten. There are things...

_Raim._ O father! I, too, have dreamt of glory, and the word Hath to my soul been as a trumpet’s voice, Making my nature sleepless. But the deeds Whereby ’twas won--the high exp...

_Con._ There was a time when my thoughts wander’d not Beyond these fairy scenes!--when but to catch The languid fragrance of the southern breeze From the rich flowering citrons,...

_Alb._ Mistrust me not, my lord! That stern and jealous Procida hath kept O’er all my steps (as though he did suspect The purposes, which oft his eye hath sought To read in mine...

_2d Noble._ I saw her as she pass’d The gazing throngs assembled in the city. ’Tis said she hath not left for years, till now, Her castle’s wood-girt solitude. ’Twill gall These...

_Pro._ How strange and deep a stillness loads the air, As with the power of midnight! Ay, where death Hath pass’d, there should be silence. But this hush Of nature’s heart, this...

_Con._ ’Tis strange he comes not! Is not this the still And sultry hour of noon? He should have been Here by the daybreak. Was there not a voice? --“No! ’tis the shrill cicada,...

_Pro._ The morn lower’d darkly; but the sun hath now, With fierce and angry splendour, through the clouds Burst forth, as if impatient to behold This our high triumph.--Lead the...

_Pro._ (_gazing upon him earnestly._) Can he Then sleep? Th’ overshadowing night hath wrapt Earth at her stated hours; the stars have set Their burning watch; and all things hol...

_3d Cit._ ’Twas a vile plot! And yet I would my hands were pure as his From the deep stain of blood. Didst hear the sounds I’ the air last night!

_Ans._ I have found A safe asylum for thine honour’d love, Where she may dwell until serener days, With Saint Rosalia’s gentlest daughters--those Whose hallow’d office is to ten...

_Raim._ Back, back, I say! ye men of Sicily! All is not lost! Oh! shame! A few brave hearts In such a cause, ere now, have set their breasts Against the rush of thousands, and s...

_Mon._ Rest! ay, death is rest, And such will soon be mine. But, thanks to _thee_, I shall not die a captive. Brave Sicilian! These lips are all unused to soothing words, Or I s...

_Pro._ Attest it, earth and heaven! My son is guiltless! Hear it, Sicily! The blood of Procida is noble still! My son! He lives, he lives! His voice shall speak Forgiveness to h...

_1st Att._ (_to 2d Attendant._) Lay him to rest On this green sunny bank, and I will call Some holy sister to his aid; but thou Return unto the field, for high-born men There ne...

Sweet is the gloom of forest shades, Their pillar’d walks and dim arcades, With all the thousand flowers that blow, A waste of loveliness, below. To him whose soul the world wou...

_Seb._ With what young life and fragrance in its breath My native air salutes me! From the groves of citron, and the mountains of the vine, And thy majestic tide thus foaming on...

_1st Cit._ In sooth our city wears a goodly mien, With her far-blazing fanes, and festive lamps Shining from all her marble palaces, Countless as heaven’s fair stars. The humble...

_Seb._ Withstand me not! I tell thee that my soul, With all its passionate energies, is roused Unto that fearful strength which _must_ have way, E’en like the elements in their...

_Seb._ From the stern, And vast, and desolate wilderness, whose lord Is the fierce lion, and whose gentlest wind Breathes of the tomb, and whose dark children make The bow and s...

“Thou hast not been with a festal throng At the pouring of the wine; Men bear not from the hall of song A mien so dark as thine! There’s blood upon thy shield, There’s dust upon...

_Her._ The rites are closed. Now, valiant men! depart, Each to his place--I may not say, of rest-- Your faithful vigils for your sons may win What must not be your own. Ye are a...

_Gon._ They heard, as one that stands By the cold grave, which hath but newly closed O’er his last friend, doth hear some passer-by Bid him be comforted! Their hearts have died...

_Abd._ These are bold words: but hast thou look’d on death, Fair stripling? On thy cheek and sunny brow Scarce fifteen summers of their laughing course Have left light traces. I...

_Xim._ There are those In their last need, and on their bed of death,-- At which no hand doth minister but mine,-- That wait me in the city. Let us hence.

_An Old Cit._ The air is sultry, as with thunder-clouds. I left my desolate home, that I might breathe More freely in heaven’s face, but my heart feels With this hot gloom o’erb...

_Gar._ ’Tis the shrill melody Of the Moor’s ancient death-song. Well I know The rude barbaric sound; but, till this hour, It seem’d not fearful. Now, a shuddering chill Comes o’...

_Elm._ The clouds are fearful that o’erhang thy ways, O thou mysterious heaven! It cannot be That I have drawn the vials of thy wrath To burst upon me, through the lifting up Of...

_Her._ Why, men have cast the treasures, which their lives Had been worn down in gathering, on the pyre; Ay, at their household hearths have lit the brand, Even from that shrine...

I hate the Persian’s costly pride: The wreaths with bands of linden tied-- These, boy, delight me not; Nor where the lingering roses bide Seek thou for me the spot. For me be na...

Oh! worthy fragrant gifts of flowers and wine, Bandusian fount, than crystal far more bright! To-morrow shall a sportive kid be thine, Whose forehead swells with horns of infant...

Faunus! who lovest the flying nymphs to chase, Oh, let thy steps with genial influence tread My sunny fields, and be thy fostering grace Soft on my nursling groves and borders s...

_Cit._ The wood Shuts o’er their track. Now spears are flashing out-- It is the banner of De Chatillon. (_Very slow and mournful military music without._) This way! they come th...

He sleeps so calmly now; the soft wind here Brings in such lulling sounds! Nay, think you not This slumber will restore him? See you not His cheek’s faint glow?

_Rai._ (_walking to and fro impatiently._) And now, too! now! My father unavenged, Our holy places threaten’d, every heart Task’d to its strength! A knight of Palestine _Now_ to...

_Rai._ When _I_ forget it----how! you see not, knights! Whence we must _now_ draw strength. Send down your thoughts Into the very depths of grief and shame, And bring back coura...

_Mor._ Yes! his last look--my brother’s dying look Reproach’d me as it faded from his face. And I deserved it! Had I not given way To the wild guilty pleadings of my heart, I mi...

_Rai._ They came too soon! [_Going up to the knights._ Couci, De Foix, Du Mornay--here, all here! And _he_ the last!--_my_ brother! (_To a Soldier._) Where’s your lord? (_Turnin...

_Aym._ (_suddenly coming forward._) Who dares say _that_? Show me who dares say that! [_They shrink back--he laughs scornfully._ Ha! ha! ye thought To play with a sleeper’s name...

_Her._ I had a friend in youth-- This Aymer’s father had _him_ shamed for less Than his son’s fault--far less! We must accuse him;--he must have his shield Reversed--his name de...

_Mor._ (_leaning over a monumental pillar, which has been lately raised._) _He_ is at rest;--and I!--is there no power In grief to win forgiveness from the dead? When shall I re...

_Rai._ (_about to sheath it, but stopping._) Oh! you do well So to remind me! Yes! it must have lain In the Moslem burial-ground--and that vile dust-- Hence with it! ’tis defile...

_Mel._ Would that my soul could wing them! Didst thou heed To say his _life_? I’ll have my own revenge! Yes! I would _save_ him from another’s hand! Thou said’st he must be brou...

_Rai._ Let him who fears Lest the close helm should wear his locks away, Cry “truce,” and cast it off. I have no will To change mine armour for a masquer’s robe, And sit at fest...

_Aym._ This were an hour--if they would answer us. --They from whose viewless world no answer comes-- To hear their whispering voices. Would they but Speak once, and say they lo...

’Twas a trumpet’s pealing sound! And the knight look’d down from the Paynim’s tower, And a Christian host in its pride and power Through the pass beneath him wound. “Cease awhil...

_Mel._ It must be that these sounds and sights of war Shake her too gentle nature. Yes, her cheek Fades hourly in my sight! What other cause-- None, none! She must go hence! Cho...

Bring me the sounding of the torrent-water, With yet a nearer swell! Fresh breeze, awake![299] And river, darkening ne’er with hues of slaughter Thy wave’s pure silvery green,--...

_Edith._ Morn once again! Morn in the lone, dim cell, The cavern of the prisoner’s fever-dream; And morn on all the green, rejoicing hills, And the bright waters round the priso...

_Her._ The voice of my own Edith! Can such joy Light up this place of death! And do I feel Thy breath of love once more upon my cheek, And the soft floating of thy gleamy hair,...