Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
England: Vols. I–IV. 1876–79.
Woodspring Abbey
By William Lisle Bowles (17621850)
T
Of blood;—terrific conscience day by day
Followed, where’er their shadow seemed to stay,
And still in thought they saw their victim bleed,
Before God’s altar shrieking: pangs succeed,
As dire upon their heart the deep sin lay,
No tears of agony could wash away:
Hence! to the land’s remotest limits speed!
These walls are raised in vain, as vainly flows
Contrition’s tear: earth, hide them, and thou sea,
Which round the lone isle, where their bones repose,
Dost sound forever, their sad requiem be
In fancy’s ear, at pensive evening’s close
Still murmuring Miserere Domine.