Poems (Holford)/Where is Happiness?
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WHERE IS HAPPINESS?
Pilgrim, I ween, that darken'd brow
Full many a summer's sun has known,
And o'er that bending head of snow
Has many a wintry whirlwind blown!
Full many a summer's sun has known,
And o'er that bending head of snow
Has many a wintry whirlwind blown!
Pilgrim, they say in search of lore
That form thro' various realms has past,
Shiv'ring on Zembla's ice-bound shore,
Gasping 'mid Zaara's burning waste;
That form thro' various realms has past,
Shiv'ring on Zembla's ice-bound shore,
Gasping 'mid Zaara's burning waste;
Now Pilgrim linger;—on thine eye
Fast fades the varying world away,
Age in grey mist involves thy sky,
And closes swift thy chequer'd day;
Fast fades the varying world away,
Age in grey mist involves thy sky,
And closes swift thy chequer'd day;
And let it close! thro' storm and fair,
Thro' cold and heat thy course has run.
Farewel to travel, toil, and care,
And greet with smiles thy setting sun!
Thro' cold and heat thy course has run.
Farewel to travel, toil, and care,
And greet with smiles thy setting sun!
Yet ere thy faltering tongue shall cease,
And ere thy glimmering sense is fled,
And ere yon green-sward turf, in peace,
Shall kindly wrap thy weary head!
And ere thy glimmering sense is fled,
And ere yon green-sward turf, in peace,
Shall kindly wrap thy weary head!
Oh! stranger tell, oh quick declare!
Wherever stray'd thy wandering feet,
Of Happiness, delusive fair,
Say, didst thou find the lov'd retreat?
Wherever stray'd thy wandering feet,
Of Happiness, delusive fair,
Say, didst thou find the lov'd retreat?
The Pilgrim rais'd his pensive eye
And mildly shook his hoary head,
His cold breast heav'd a trembling sigh
As thus the time-worn wanderer said,
And mildly shook his hoary head,
His cold breast heav'd a trembling sigh
As thus the time-worn wanderer said,
"In life's warm spring, youth's transient pride,
Boldly I sought the flying Maid,
Hope led the way, a rapid guide,
And young Ambition lent his aid;
Boldly I sought the flying Maid,
Hope led the way, a rapid guide,
And young Ambition lent his aid;
"What then were travel, toil, and pain!
Onward the ardent chase I press'd,
For I was young, and gay, and vain,
And Fancy revell'd in my breast!
Onward the ardent chase I press'd,
For I was young, and gay, and vain,
And Fancy revell'd in my breast!
"'Twas joy, 'twas glory to pursue!
We panted up the steep hill's side,
Yet swifter from our eager view
We saw the rosy phantom glide!
We panted up the steep hill's side,
Yet swifter from our eager view
We saw the rosy phantom glide!
"Idly we rang'd each proud alcove,
Each gilded dome, and lofty tower,
'Twas vain thro' grandeur's paths to rove,
There never dwelt the smiling power.
Each gilded dome, and lofty tower,
'Twas vain thro' grandeur's paths to rove,
There never dwelt the smiling power.
"Now, weary of the fruitless chase,
Ambition, halting, turn'd aside,
But Hope still urg'd the lagging race,
And Fancy spoke of scenes untried;
Ambition, halting, turn'd aside,
But Hope still urg'd the lagging race,
And Fancy spoke of scenes untried;
"To cottage seats our steps we bent,
With hinds we ate our hard-earn'd fare,
But soon we fled—for Discontent
And joyless ignorance were there?
With hinds we ate our hard-earn'd fare,
But soon we fled—for Discontent
And joyless ignorance were there?
"Love, fickle, fleeting, froward love,
Thro' briary paths now lit the way,
Bless'd we pursu'd thro' glen and grove—
'Twas but the meteor's sportive ray!
Thro' briary paths now lit the way,
Bless'd we pursu'd thro' glen and grove—
'Twas but the meteor's sportive ray!
"Next Friendship lur'd,—as yet untried;
Her mildest guise the tempter wore,
Yes, I will dwell with thee! I cried,
And seek life's bustling scenes no more!
Her mildest guise the tempter wore,
Yes, I will dwell with thee! I cried,
And seek life's bustling scenes no more!
"She heard, but soon her form decay'd,
And Friendship press'd the silent bier!
Thus, still escap'd the futile shade,
And coldly gleam'd the fruitless tear:
And Friendship press'd the silent bier!
Thus, still escap'd the futile shade,
And coldly gleam'd the fruitless tear:
"'Twas now, I own'd Despair supreme,
E'en Hope, in silence heard me rave,
Since love had prov'd a fev'rish dream,
And Friendship moulder'd in the grave:
E'en Hope, in silence heard me rave,
Since love had prov'd a fev'rish dream,
And Friendship moulder'd in the grave:
"Yet still the sweet consoler strives
To lull this weary heart to rest,
And still a glimmering spark survives,
And cheers the twilight of the breast."
To lull this weary heart to rest,
And still a glimmering spark survives,
And cheers the twilight of the breast."
"Beshrew thy tale, oh, pilgrim grey!
Say fares it thus with human life?
And must we bend our toilsome way
Thro' rugged scenes of grief and strife;
Say fares it thus with human life?
And must we bend our toilsome way
Thro' rugged scenes of grief and strife;
"While fancy, youth, and health decay,
To chase a flying shade, our doom,
Till Age arrests our feeble way
To plunge us 'mid the dreary tomb?"
To chase a flying shade, our doom,
Till Age arrests our feeble way
To plunge us 'mid the dreary tomb?"
The Palmer rais'd his placid eye—
"Yet, lingering Hope forbids despair!
The grave's dark realm I go to try—
Haply the fugitive is there!"
"Yet, lingering Hope forbids despair!
The grave's dark realm I go to try—
Haply the fugitive is there!"