Classic Poem

I.

I THINK of thee — I think of thee, —
And all that thou hast borne for me; —
In hours of gloom, or heartless glee,
I think of thee — I think of thee!

II.

When fiercest rage the storms of Fate,
And all around is desolate,
I pour on Life's tempestuous sea
The oil of peace, with thoughts of thee!

III.

When Fortune frowns, and Hope deceives me,
And summer-friendship veers and leaves me,
A Timon — from the world I flee; —
My wreck of wealth — sweet dreams of thee!

IV.

Or if I join the careless crowd,
Where laughter peals, and mirth grows loud,
Even in my hours of revelry
I think of thee, — I think of thee!

V.

I think of thee, — I think and sigh
O'er blighted years and bliss gone by; —
And mourn the stern, severe decree
That hath but left me — thoughts of thee!

VI.

In youth's gay hours, 'mid Pleasure's bowers,
When all was sunshine, mirth, and flowers,
We met — I bent the adoring knee,
And told a tender tale to thee!

VII.

'Twas summer's eve, — the Heavens above —
Earth — ocean — air, were full of love; —
Nature around kept jubilee,
When first I breathed that tale to thee!

VIII.

The crystal clouds that hung on high
Were blue as thy delicious eye; —
The stirless shore, and sleeping sea,
Seemed emblems of repose and thee!

IX.

I spoke of hope; — I spoke of fear; —
Thy answer was a blush and tear;
But this was eloquence to me,
And more than I had asked of thee!

X.

I looked into thy dewy eye,
And echoed thy half stifled sigh; —
I clasped thy hand, and vowed to be
The soul of love and truth to thee!

XI.

The scene and hour are past; yet still
Remains a deep impassioned thrill, —
A sun-set glow on memory,
Which kindles at a thought of thee!

XII.

We loved: — how wildly, and how well,
'Twere worse than idle now to tell!
From love and life alike thou 'rt free,
And I — am left — to think of thee!

XIII.

Though years — long years — have darkly sped
Since thou wert numbered with the dead,
In fancy oft thy form I see, —
In dreams, at least, I 'm still with thee!

XIV.

Thy beauty — helplessness and youth, —
Thy hapless fate — untiring truth, —
Are spells that often touch the key
Of sweet but mournful thoughts of thee!

XV.

The bitter frown of friends estranged;
The chilling straits of fortune changed;
All this, and more, thou 'st borne for me:
Then how can I be false to thee?

XVI.

I never will. — I 'll think of thee
Till fades the power of memory! —
In weal or woe, — in gloom or glee, —
I ' LL THINK OF THEE ! — I ' LL THINK OF THEE !