He whom once I loved so well
Lured away by evil spell—
With naught else to fill my heart
I lived in thee—and dead thou art!
Tyrant death! amidst thou not spare
A flower so young, so sweet, so fair?
If thou needs must take one, why
For her sake might I not die?
Then some mercy hadst thou shewn,
Nor left me desolate, alone,
A childless mother, homeless wife,
To linger out a death-in-life.
Reft of all that gives delight
Day's as wearisome as night;
Earth's a barren desert drear,
With no Mount of Promise near;
Hope's by dull despair devoured,
All joy's slain, all sweetness soured;
Where'er I turn I see alone
A frowning sky, a face of stone.
Night so dark can have no dawn;
I'll follow thee where thou art gone;
1 cannot linger in this drear,
Homeless, hopeless, evil sphere:
Calls my darling, Come away!
Broken heart, your beating stay!
Merciless you struck before,
Death! in mercy strike once more!
1890
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