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"The happiness of my full heart
When in thy presence it doth stay,
Hath always driven every thought
Of other years away;
But in thy absence I have deemed—
And when thou art here I still forget—
That I would ask thee of thy life
Before we haply met.
I know by thy high, princely brow.
And by thy proudly fervid eye.
And by thy winning eloquence,
Thy destiny was high."
When in thy presence it doth stay,
Hath always driven every thought
Of other years away;
But in thy absence I have deemed—
And when thou art here I still forget—
That I would ask thee of thy life
Before we haply met.
I know by thy high, princely brow.
And by thy proudly fervid eye.
And by thy winning eloquence,
Thy destiny was high."
"Well, listen, love, and I will tell a part—
All that I think of in my wayward life.
Before it found a home in thy pure heart.
Secure from restlessness and pain and strife:
When thou art wearied, close thy starry eyes.
And I will cease to prate of sterner themes.
And sing to thee such quaint, old melodies
As will fill thy soft sleep with radiant dreams.
All that I think of in my wayward life.
Before it found a home in thy pure heart.
Secure from restlessness and pain and strife:
When thou art wearied, close thy starry eyes.
And I will cease to prate of sterner themes.
And sing to thee such quaint, old melodies
As will fill thy soft sleep with radiant dreams.
"I was ambitious once! a thought of fame
Filled all my spirit with a restless pain,
And all I sighed for was a deathless name!
By day and night that sound haunted ray brain.
Until my pulses caught my heart's unrest.
And on my forehead burned a feverish heat.
And a strange fire seemed kindled in my breast
Which rose and quivered with its every beat.
Filled all my spirit with a restless pain,
And all I sighed for was a deathless name!
By day and night that sound haunted ray brain.
Until my pulses caught my heart's unrest.
And on my forehead burned a feverish heat.
And a strange fire seemed kindled in my breast
Which rose and quivered with its every beat.
"But how to win the deathlessness I sought
Was what I mused on in the midnight hour—
Until there came a grand, aspiring thought
Of oratory's irresistible power.
The sudden thought was eager, wild, and high.
Yet proudly swelled my strong and restless soul,—
I felt the fire flash from my kindling eye.
While to my burning lip a quiver stole.
Was what I mused on in the midnight hour—
Until there came a grand, aspiring thought
Of oratory's irresistible power.
The sudden thought was eager, wild, and high.
Yet proudly swelled my strong and restless soul,—
I felt the fire flash from my kindling eye.
While to my burning lip a quiver stole.
