Poems (Freston)/Memories

by Elizabeth Heléne Freston

For works with similar titles, see Memories.

MEMORIES

The fires of anger hotly, fiercely flame
    For you! for you!
No longer in my prayers I speak your name,
And from my heart rings out a cry of blame!—
    "Untrue! Untrue!"

Hate stands on guard beside the yearning heart,
    That troubles me,
To keep all weak relentings far apart,
And stir the waning embers with his art
    Of cruelty.

Reason, too, points to cheek still burning red,
    You struck one day;
And Justice comes, with calm and stately tread,
To say, with sober mien and lifted head,
    He shall repay!

But from the past, a picture will arise,
    To me, how fair!
Lithe lips,—whose every smile was once a prize,—
Clear-sighted, deep and black-lashed, keen gray eyes,
    And raven hair.

Together we! away from all on earth!
    On a lone star!
And for that flight,—how worth—how wildly worth
The broken wing! Despair's unholy birth,
    And every scar!

Again I hear the tender voice of old,
    Saying "Why Girl!
I would not cause you pain for untold gold!
Beyond all treasure, sweetheart, so I hold
    Your smallest curl!"

Through bold, rebellious strands of ebon hair
    My fingers stray.
I close the flashing eyes with kisses rare,
And feel the touch of lips so warm, so fair,—
    Alas! That day!

Love wakes and moans, then cries aloud for thee,
    With yearning cry!
Pride smites him on the mouth and bids him be
Hushed! So the strife goes on, while still with me
    Love will not die!