Memoir and Poems of Phillis Wheatley/On the Silence of a young Lady
ON THE SILENCE OF A YOUNG LADY,
On account of the imaginary flight of her suitor.
Oh, heartless dove! mount in the skies,
Spread thy soft wing upon the gale,
Or on thy sacred pinions rise,
Nor brood with silence in the vale,
Breathe on the air thy plaintive note,
Which oft has filled the lonesome grove,
And let thy melting ditty float—
The dirge of long lamented love.
Coo softly to the silent ear,
And make the floods of grief to roll;
And cause by love the sleeping tear,
To wake with sorrow from the soul.
Is it the loss of pleasures past
Which makes thee droop thy sounding wing?
Does winter's rough, inclement blast
Forbid thy tragic voice to sing?
Is it because the fragrant breeze
Along the sky forbears to flow—
Nor whispers low amidst the trees,
Whilst all the vallies frown below?
Why should a frown thy soul alarm,
And tear thy pleasures from thy breast?
Or veil the smiles of every charm,
And rob thee of thy peaceful rest.
Perhaps thy sleeping love may wake,
And hear thy penitential tone;
And suffer not thy heart to break,
Nor let a princess grieve alone.
Perhaps his pity may return,
With equal feeling from the heart,
And breast with breast together burn,
Never—no, never more to part.
Never, till death's resistless blow,
Whose call the dearest must obey—
In twain together then may go,
And thus together dwell for aye.
Say to the suitor, Come away.
Nor break the knot which love has tied—
Nor to the world thy trust betray,
And fly forever from thy bride.