Poems (Baldwyn)/The Discovered Secret

by Augusta Baldwyn

THE DISCOVERED SECRET.

The moonlight slept upon the sea,
 And all the stars with light were glowing;
And music softly seem'd to he
 O'er the calm azure waters flowing.

But, ah, that strain was sad to hear,—
 It told that one young heart was lonely;
And one who listen'd dropt a tear,—
 The one she lov'd! she lov'd him only.

Where gentle boughs sigh'd in the wind,
 And, twining, hid the bower so blooming,
Her lover silently reclin'd,
 Nor Alice heard her Willie coming.

She thought that he was far away;
 He'd gone without his love once speaking;
And hope had faded from her day,
 For he her love had long been seeking.

The gentle smile from her had flown,
 For they had said that he was faithless;
Now in her bow'r she sang alone;
 She knew her love was true and deathless.

'My heart is sad, my lute is broke;
 No more in accents gay I'll sing;
Ah, vainly is each cadence woke,—
 No joy to my sad heart they bring.
For love, and all its gentle light,

 Have faded from my sky away,
And all the bliss that seem'd so bright
 Has vanish'd with its parting ray,
   And all the bliss that seem'd so bright
   Has vanish'd with its parting ray.'

'Twere not these words alone that met
 The ear of her enraptur'd lover:
His joy was mingl'd with regret,
 But all his past sad doubts were over.

He heard her breathe one word, his name,
 As o'er her lute she bent her sighing:
Can any scorn, or any blame,
 A lover thus his lady spying?

Oh, happy hour that rends the doubt
 That hovers o'er two hearts so loving!
Forgotten the vain world without,—
 No cloud between them now is moving!