Poems (Kemble)/A Lament for the Wissahiccon

by Frances Anne Kemble

A LAMENT FOR THE WISSAHICCON.

 The waterfall is calling me
  With its merry gleesome flow,
 And the green boughs are beckoning me,
  To where the wild flowers grow:

 I may not go, I may not go,
 To where the sunny waters flow,
 To where the wild wood flowers blow;
     I must stay here
     In prison drear,
 Oh, heavy life, wear on, wear on,
 Would God that thou wert done!

The busy mill-wheel round and round
Goes turning, with its reckless sound,
And o'er the dam the waters flow
Into the foaming stream below,
And deep and dark away they glide,
To meet the broad, bright river's tide;

    And all the way
    They murmuring say:
    "Oh, child! why art thou far away
    Come back into the sun, and stray
    Upon our mossy side!"

I may not go, I may not go,
 To where the gold-green waters inn,
 All shining in the summer sun,
And leap from off the dam below
Into a whirl of boiling snow,
Laughing and shouting as they go;
   I must stay here
   In prison drear,
Oh, heavy life, wear on, wear on,
Would God that thou wert done!

The soft spring wind goes passing by,
 Into the forests wide and cool;
The clouds go trooping through the sky,
 To look down on some glassy pool;
The sunshine makes the world rejoice,
And all of them, with gentle voice,
   Call me away,
   With them to stay,
The blessed, livelong summer's day.

I may not go, I may not go,
Where the sweet breathing spring winds blow,
Nor where the silver clouds go by,
Across the holy, deep blue sky,
Nor where the sunshine, warm and bright,
Comes down like a still shower of light;
   I must stay here
   In prison drear,
Oh, heavy life, wear on, wear on,
Would God that thou wert done!

Oh, that I were a thing with wings!
A bird, that in a May-hedge sings!
A lonely heather bell that swings
 Upon some wild hill-side;
Or even a silly, senseless stone,
With dark, green, starry moss o'ergrown,
 Round which the waters glide.