No voice, well-known through many a day, To speak the last, the parting word, Which, when all other sounds decay, Is still like distant music heard. That tender farewell on the shore Of this rude world, when all is o'er, Which cheers the spirit, ere its bark Puts off into the unknown Dark. Deserted youth! one thought alone Shed joy around his soul in deathThat she, whom he for years had known And lov'd, and might have call'd his own, Was safe from this foul midnight's breath: Safe in her father's princely halls, Where the cool airs from fountain falls, Freshly perfum'd by many a brand Of the sweet wood from India's land, Were pure as she whose brow they fann'd. But see, who yonder comes by stealth, Her arms are round her lover now, His livid cheek to hers she presses, An hour would come, when he should shrink Those gentle arms, that were to him Holy as is the cradling place Of Eden's infant cherubim! "The blessed air, that's breath'd by thee, "And, whether on its wings it bear "Healing or death, 'tis sweet to me! "There, drink my tears, while yet they fall, "Would that my bosom's blood were balm, "And, well thou know'st, I'd shed it all, "To give thy brow one minute's calm. "Nay, turn not from me that dear face"Am I not thine-thy own lov'd bridethe chosen one, whose place, The one, "Think'st thou that she, whose only light, "In this dim world, from thee hath shone, "Could bear the long, the cheerless night, "That must be hers, when thou art gone? "That I can live, and let thee go, "Who art my life itself? No, no"When the stem dies, the leaf that grew "Out of its heart must perish too! "Then turn to me, my own love, turn, "Before like thee I fade and burn; Cling to these yet cool lips, and share One kiss the maiden gives, one last, Long kiss, which she expires in giving! "Sleep," said the PERI, as softly she stole The farewell sigh of that vanishing soul, As true as e'er warm'd a woman's breast; 66 Sleep on, in visions of odour rest, "In balmier airs than ever yet stirr'd "The enchanted pile of that holy bird, |