Page:Poems Douglas.djvu/122

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116
the suicide's farewell.
"How he hath so basely left thee,
When thy love was woo'd and won,
And of every joy bereft thee,
When each pulse was his alone;
Think on what remorse he'll suffer—
Feelings to his false heart strange:
Why, then, life not freely offer
At the shrine of that revenge?

"Life! I've drained thy cup of sadness,
Till my stagg'ring senses stood
On the very verge of madness,
Scarce by reason's voice subdued.
Now, e'en now, a hydra fever
Burns and reels my tortured brain;
But this cup hath power to sever
Life's now loath'd and galling chain!

"World, farewell! the draught is taken,
Now I lay me down to sleep,
Never more on earth to waken
From a slumber still and deep.
With a faithless world behind me,
And a world unknown before;
Death! to thee I have resigned me;
Life! adieu—adieu once more!"

Victim of a dire delusion!
And did conscience vainly plead?
Didst thou deem its voice intrusion?
'Twas to drive thee from the deed!