Landon in The Literary Gazette 1826/Worshipper

by Letitia Elizabeth Landon

Literary Gazette, 21st January, 1826, Page 43

ORIGINAL POETRY.

THE WORSHIPPER.

It was a shrine, a sunny shrine,
On it the Statue stood of Love;
Thrice beautiful, as morning's dream
Had brought the image from above.
There many an hour would Beauty kneel
Adoring at the lovely shrine—
Haunting the Statue with one prayer—
"Would thou had'st life! would thou wert mine!"
Wearied, at length, the pitying heaven
No more the maiden's prayer denied;
Life darken'd in the Statue's eye,
And warm'd the veins life's crimson tide;
Breath, mortal breath, was on the lip,
And Beauty caught it to her breast.
Alas! the shape had changed to Grief—
Love ever does when once possess’d.
⁠L. E. L.

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