Poem by Anna Seward

Sonnet 34. When Death, or adverse Fortune's ruthless gale

When Death, or adverse Fortune's ruthless gale,
    Tears our best hopes away, the wounded Heart
    Exhausted, leans on all that can impart
    The charm of Sympathy; her mutual wail
How soothing! never can her warm tears fail
    To balm our bleeding grief's severest smart;
    Nor wholly vain feign'd Pity's solemn art,
    Tho' we should penetrate her sable veil.
Concern, e'en known to be assum'd, our pains
    Respecting, kinder welcome far acquires
    Than cold Neglect, or Mirth that Grief profanes.
Thus each faint Glow-worm of the Night conspires,
    Gleaming along the moss'd and darken'd lanes,
    To cheer the Gloom with her unreal fires.

1. Sonnet 30. That song again!—its sounds my bosom thrill
2. Sonnet 25. Fortunate Vale! exulting Hill! dear Plain!
3. Sonnet 84. While one sere leaf, that parting Autumn gilds
4. Sonnet 28. O, Genius! does thy Sun-resembling beam
5. Sonnet 52. Long has the pall of Midnight quench'd the scene

Print

1257 Views

Last Poems

To Russian version