Full oft with eager step she flies To cheer the roofless cot, Where the lone widow breathes her sighs, And wails her desp'rate lot.
Their weeping mother's trembling knees, Her lisping infants clasp; Their meek, imploring look she sees, She feels their tender grasp.
Wild throbs her aching bosom swell-- They mark the bursting sigh, (Nature has form'd the soul to feel) They weep, unknowing why.
Her hands the lib'ral boon impart, And much her tear avails To raise the mourner's drooping heart, Where feeble utterance fails.
On the pale cheek, where hung the tear Of agonizing woe, She bids the cheerful bloom appear, The tear of rapture flow.
Thus on soft wing the moments flew, (Tho' love implor'd their stay) While some new virtue rose to view, And mark'd each fleeting day.
The youthful poet's soothing dream Of golden ages past; The muse's fond, ideal theme, Was realiz'd at last.
But vainly here we hope, that bliss Unchanging will endure; Ah, in a world so vain as this, What heart can rest secure!
For now arose the fatal day For civil discord fam'd; When _York_, from _Lancaster's_ proud sway, The regal sceptre claim'd.
Each moment now the horrors brought Of desolating rage; The fam'd atchievements now were wrought, That swell th' historic page.
The good old Albert pants, again To dare the hostile field, The cause of Henry to maintain, For him, the launce to wield.
But oh, a thousand gen'rous ties, That bind the hero's soul; A thousand tender claims arise, And Edwin's breast controul.
Tho' passion pleads in Henry's cause, And Edwin's heart would sway; Yet honour's stern, imperious laws, The brave will still obey.
Oppress'd with many an anxious care, Full oft Eltruda sigh'd; Complaining that relentless war Should those she lov'd--divide.
At length the parting morn arose, In gloomy vapours drest; The pensive maiden's sorrow flows, And terror heaves her breast.
A thousand pangs the father feels, A thousand rising fears, While clinging at his feet she kneels, And bathes them with her tears.
A pitying tear bedew'd his cheek,-- From his lov'd child he flew; O'erwhelm'd; the father could not speak, He could not say--"adieu!"
Arm'd for the field, her lover He saw her pallid look, And trembling seize her drooping frame, While fault'ring, thus he spoke: