The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1822-12-04
POETRY.


She sat beside her lover, and her hand
Tested upon his ciayAcoId forehead Death
Was calmly stealing DER him, andhis life
Went ont By silent chickering's, when his eye
Woke up frGp its dim Iethargy. and cast
bright looks Of fondness On her.--lie was weak,
Zoo weak to utter all his heart --tiis eye
Was nov his only language, endh spake
How much lac felt her kindne ess. and the love
That sat. when al! had ned, beside him Might
Was far upon its watches, and the voice
OF nature hal no sonnd..-1he pure blue sky
Was fair and lovely, and the many stats
Look'd down In tranquil beauty On an earth
That smi.'d in sweetest summer. she look'd out
1hro' the :as'd window, and the sheeisd bay
Lay 10 a quiet sleep below, and shone
With the pale beam OF midn'ght--ar was still,
And the whi,e'saii, tina, DER the distant stream
Mov'd with so slow pace, IL seem'd at rest.
Fix'd In the CLASSY water, and with care
S!unn'd the dark den OF pes;ilence, and stole
Fesriuliy from the tainted gale that breathd
sofily along the crisping wave The sail
lung loosely on ils yard, and ssi. happd,
Caught moving fluctuations from the hght,
That silently came down. and gave the hi''s'
And spires, and walls, and roofs, TINT SO pale,
Death secm'd on all the landscspe---bn so sti'',
Who Would have thought that any thing but peace
Aud beauty had dwelling there !--The world
Had gone, and life was not within those walls,
Only few. who lingsr'd family on.
Sat tending 1T their piilows from q love
so strong, IL snas,er'd feer--and they were few.
fnd she was ODe---snd IN lonely house,
Far from all sight and sound @. living thing,
She watchd the couch OF bE che loy'd---and drew
ContagIon from t0ose lips that we're 10 her
Still beautiful as roses, uio' 80 pale,
They sesW'd like thin sgow cu:i. -AH WAS still,
And even so deeply hush'd the low, fain, breath
That trembling gasp'd away, came ,bro' he night
As a loud sound Of awe she pass'd her hand
Over those Tuiycring lips, that ever grew
paler and colder, as the only sign
To tell her life still lnger'G--n @cm out
And her heart sunk within her, when the last
Weak Sigh Of life WAS over. and the room
Seem'd like n vaulted sepuIcire, 80 lone
She dar'd not look around and the light wind
That play d among lhc leaves and How'rs that grew
Still freshly at her window, and wsv'd back
The curtain with II rus,iing sound 20 her,
In her intense abstraction, seen,'d the voice
Ola departed spirit-then she heard.
at least in fancy heard, whisper breathe
Close At her ear, and tell her al was done.
And her fond loves were ended --obc mad watchd
Until her love grew manly, and she cbcckd
The tears that came to fow, and neryd her heart
T~ the last solemn duty - With hand
That treDble'i not. she cios'd the fallen lid,
And pressd the iips and gsvc them one long kiss
Then deoent'y spread over al! a shroudi
And sitting with look 81 lingering love
'"'ehsc IN eAriess passion. rose 81 'ehb'b,
And pressing both her hands upon her brow,
Gave loose TO all her gushing grief in showers,
which, rs fountain seai'd ',i'i il had sweifd
To hs last tfullness. now gave way aud how'd
in deep stream OF sorrow she gee. calm,
And parting back the cur, aims, looka abroad
Upon lhc moonlight love!,ness. all sunk
~ one unbrcken silence. save The moan
Fron ,he lone room Of deatd or the dull sound
ot the slow moving l'earse --1'he homes of men
Ter Nfty oil ND ll.L mes n
And so.,ade AMI silence tvok tssir scat
IN the ovs serted Streets as IL the wing
ofs destroying angel lad gene by,
And blasted all existence, and haa changd
The gay. the busy, and the crowded msrt
10 one cold, speechless city Of the deAd