Poems (Louisa Blake)/Thoughts in prospect of Death
THOUGHTS IN PROSPECT OF DEATH.
Oh! can it be, when youth no longer flings
O'er all things, bright and sunny hues of bliss,
That the weak heart more closely, strongly clings,
In its blind fondness, to a world like this;
When all the high and bright imaginings
Which made our childhood's fairy bliss, have flown,
And left instead the sober light age brings,
When all our feelings take a different tone,
And we are sad, and helpless, and alone?
O'er all things, bright and sunny hues of bliss,
That the weak heart more closely, strongly clings,
In its blind fondness, to a world like this;
When all the high and bright imaginings
Which made our childhood's fairy bliss, have flown,
And left instead the sober light age brings,
When all our feelings take a different tone,
And we are sad, and helpless, and alone?
We must be lone! for all the friends we loved
Cannot through lengthen'd life with us remain,
Some by the hand of death may be removed,
Some, in a distant land, may not retain
A memory of us long:—The precious chain,
Which bound together all we prized, must break,
The sever'd links may not unite again;
Then what is lengthen'd life but lengthen'd pain?
Cannot through lengthen'd life with us remain,
Some by the hand of death may be removed,
Some, in a distant land, may not retain
A memory of us long:—The precious chain,
Which bound together all we prized, must break,
The sever'd links may not unite again;
Then what is lengthen'd life but lengthen'd pain?
Strange, age should cling to earth!—methinks that I
The near approach of death with joy should know,
That each fond hope destroy'd, would break a tie
Which bound me to this dwelling place below;
That when life's ebbing tide should feebly flow,
And each entwining cord of earth be riven,
My sun's declining rays would brightly glow,
Not with the lustre of aught earthly given,
But with the glorious beams of dawning Heaven.
The near approach of death with joy should know,
That each fond hope destroy'd, would break a tie
Which bound me to this dwelling place below;
That when life's ebbing tide should feebly flow,
And each entwining cord of earth be riven,
My sun's declining rays would brightly glow,
Not with the lustre of aught earthly given,
But with the glorious beams of dawning Heaven.