Poems (Nealds)/To Julia

by Adeline Martha Nealds

TO JULIA.

Art thou art false—then why should I
 In silent sorrow pine?
Why should I grieve, and weep, and sigh,
 While others may be mine?
I give thee back thy vows again,
And rid my heart of all its pain.

I lov'd thee dearly—madly lov'd,
 While thou to me wert true;
But as thou hast unfaithful prov d,
 At others' shrines I'll sue.
There may be one as fair as thee,
Who may, perchance, be true to me.

And thou, false fair, one day may'st rue,
 Thy frail inconstancy,
Some youth may prove to thee untrue,
 As thou hast prov'd to me.
Then thou wilt wish me back again,
And thou wilt wish—but wish in vain:

For when thou sigh'st I will not hear,
 Or listen to thy cry,
And when thou shed'st the bitter tear,
 Thou 'lt find my eyes are dry;
And thou wilt wish thou ne'er had'st broke
The vows which thou so oft hast spoke.

Thy fatal beauty may deceive
 Some trusting heart, like mine,
For I, too surely did believe,
 Thy mind and form divine;
But ah! thou art as false as fair,
Light and inconstant as the air.

Ev'n now I dare not see thy smiles,
 Or thy soft witchery brave,
Lest I should trust thy magic wiles,
 And be again thy slave;
I'll fly for ever from thy spell,
Fair faithless Julia—Fare thee well!