Poem by Caroline Elizabeth Sarah Norton

* * *

WHEN, poor in all but hope and love,
I clasped thee to my faithful heart;
For wealth and fame I vowed to rove,
That we might meet no more to part!
Years have gone by-long weary years
Of toil, to win thee comfort now-
Of ardent hopes-of sickening fears-
And wealth is mine-but where art thou?

Fame's dazzling dreams, for thy dear sake,
Rose brighter than before to me;
I clung to all I deemed could make
My burning heart more worthy thee.
Years have gone by-the laurel droops
In mockery o'er my joyless brow :
A conquered world before me stoops,
And Fame is mine-but where art thou?

In life's first hours, despised and lone,
I wandered through the busy crowd;
But now that life's best hopes are gone,
They greet with pride and murmurs loud.
Oh! for thy voice! thy happy voice,
To breathe its laughing welcome now;
Wealth, fame, and all that should rejoice,
To me are vain-for where art thou? 

1. Sonnet 17. Nor wert thou only by thy kindred wept
2. Sonnet 9. WHEN our young Queen put on her rightful crown
3. Sonnet 15. WHEN thy light fingers touch th' obedient chords
4. Sonnet 6. Where the red wine-cup floweth, there art thou!
5. The Picture of Sappho

Print

1653 Views

Last Poems

To Russian version