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Home  »  The English Poets  »  Hesperus’ Song (from The Bride’s Tragedy, Act i)

Thomas Humphry Ward, ed. The English Poets. 1880–1918.rnVol. IV. The Nineteenth Century: Wordsworth to Rossetti

Thomas Lovell Beddoes (1803–1849)

Hesperus’ Song (from The Bride’s Tragedy, Act i)

POOR old pilgrim Misery,

Beneath the silent moon he sate,

A-listening to the screech-owl’s cry,

And the cold wind’s goblin prate;

Beside him lay his staff of yew

With withered willow twined,

His scant grey hair all wet with dew,

His cheeks with grief ybrined;

And his cry it was ever, alack!

Alack, and woe is me!

Anon a wanton imp astray

His piteous moaning hears,

And from his bosom steals away

His rosary of tears:

With his plunder fled that urchin elf,

And hid it in your eyes,

Then tell me back the stolen pelf,

Give up the lawless prize;

Or your cry shall be ever, alack!

Alack, and woe is me!