Poems of Felicia Hemans in The Winter's Wreath, 1829/Fair Helen of Kirconnel
"Fair Helen of Kirconnel."
BY MRS. HEMANS.
"Fair Helen of Kirconnel," as she is called in the Scottish Minstrelsy, throwing herself between her betrothed lover and a rival by whom his life was assailed, received a mortal wound, and died in the arms of the former.
Hold me upon thy faithful heart,
Keep back my flitting breath;
'Tis early, early to depart,
Sweet friend!—yet this is Death!
Look on me still:—let that kind eye
Be the last light I see!
Oh! sad it is in spring to die,
But yet I die for thee!
For thee, my own!—thy stately head
Was never thus to bow;—
Give tears when with me Love hath fled,
True Love—thou know'st it now!
Oh! the free streams look’d bright, where'er
We in our gladness rov'd;
And the blue skies were very fair—
Dear friend! because we lov'd.
Farewell!—I bless thee!—live thou on,
When this young heart is low!
Surely my blood thy life hath won—
Clasp me once more—I go!