Love's Last Adieu

Aeì d' aeí me pheugei.

ANACREON
  1. 1The roses of Love glad the garden of life,
  2. 2Though nurtur'd 'mid weeds dropping pestilent dew,
  3. 3Till Time crops the leaves with unmerciful knife,
  4. 4Or prunes them for ever, in Love's last adieu!
  1. 5In vain, with endearments, we soothe the sad heart,
  2. 6In vain do we vow for an age to be true;
  3. 7The chance of an hour may command us to part,
  4. 8Or Death disunite us, in Love's last adieu!
  1. 9Still Hope, breathing peace, through the grief-swollen breast,
  2. 10Will whisper, "Our meeting we yet may renew:"
  3. 11With this dream of deceit, half our sorrow's represt,
  4. 12Nor taste we the poison, of Love's last adieu!
  1. 13Oh! mark you yon pair, in the sunshine of youth,
  2. 14Love twin'd round their childhood his flow'rs as they grew;
  3. 15They flourish awhile, in the season of truth,
  4. 16Till chill'd by the winter of Love's last adieu!
  1. 17Sweet lady! why thus doth a tear steal its way,
  2. 18Down a cheek which outrivals thy bosom in hue?
  3. 19Yet why do I ask?--to distraction a prey,
  4. 20Thy reason has perish'd, with Love's last adieu!
  1. 21Oh! who is yon Misanthrope, shunning mankind?
  2. 22From cities to caves of the forest he flew:
  3. 23There, raving, he howls his complaint to the wind;
  4. 24The mountains reverberate Love's last adieu!
  1. 25Now Hate rules a heart which in Love's easy chains,
  2. 26Once Passion's tumultuous blandishments knew;
  3. 27Despair now inflames the dark tide of his veins,
  4. 28He ponders, in frenzy, on Love's last adieu!
  1. 29How he envies the wretch, with a soul wrapt in steel!
  2. 30His pleasures are scarce, yet his troubles are few,
  3. 31Who laughs at the pang that he never can feel,
  4. 32And dreads not the anguish of Love's last adieu!
  1. 33Youth flies, life decays, even hope is o'ercast;
  2. 34No more, with Love's former devotion, we sue:
  3. 35He spreads his young wing, he retires with the blast;
  4. 36The shroud of affection is Love's last adieu!
  1. 37In this life of probation, for rapture divine,
  2. 38Astrea declares that some penance is due;
  3. 39From him, who has worshipp'd at Love's gentle shrine,
  4. 40The atonement is ample, in Love's last adieu!
  1. 41Who kneels to the God, on his altar of light
  2. 42Must myrtle and cypress alternately strew:
  3. 43His myrtle, an emblem of purest delight,
  4. 44His cypress, the garland of Love's last adieu!