Unrequited Love

I burn for thee, and thou art cold, yet canst not quench my fire;
Why wilt thou smile on my despair, and not on my desire?
Yet could I break away from thee, I would not wear the chain,
Nor dash among the breakers wild, a sailor on the main.

There's no reward for constancy, no honour waits on truth,
And love awakens misery, and faithlessness, and ruth:
Passion's remorseless scourges give more painful pangs to pain,
And danger sits, and discord comes, where fondness has her reign;

And fear, that doubles all distress, hies thither with its frown,
And bondage, taking freedom's name, impels the spirit down.
I see thee not—I hear thee not—how dark my path ap-pears!
I know not which o'erhangs it most, my passion or my fears.

Two pointed barbs have pierced me through; one is with magic charmed,
One dipp'd in poison; both, alas! with awful terrors armed;
Freezing or firing, waking joys, or renovating woes;
But every wavelet of my heart disturbs it as it flows.

Dragg'd, dragg'd by misery on, life's press intolerably great,
For, loveless, truthless, who could bear his melancholy fate?
For disappointment brings distress, and fearful thoughts impend,
And life will linger, linger on, as if it had no end;

Unless my love for thee should break life's melancholy thread!
They ask me whence my gloomy dreams, and why I bend my head,
And why I sigh and weep, nor know why sorrows cloud my brow.
And shall I tell the dreary tale, and shall I say 'tis thou!

Who brought me to this dark abyss? 'tis thou—my tongue is still;
I will not blame thee; I will bow submissive to heaven's will;
Wait patient for that sweet repose which crowns all mortal care,
And love, while living—live to love—I swear it, maid! I swear.

My truth shall last as long as life—shall have no end but death;
I turn to thee, I call on thee, with hot and eager breath:
And shall I tell thee all I feel—that all, what words can tell?
For death alone the waves can calm that in my bosom swell!
Yes! Welcome! I would say to him—I say to thee, Farewell!