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Home  »  Specimens of American Poetry  »  Mary A. Brooks

Samuel Kettell, ed. Specimens of American Poetry. 1829.

By Zophiel

Mary A. Brooks

SEPHORA held her to her heart, the while

Grief had its way—then saw her gently laid,

And bade her, kissing her blue eyes, beguile,

Slumbering, the fervid noon. Her leafy bed

Sigh’d forth o’erpowering breath, increased the heat;

Sleepless had been the night; her weary sense

Could now no more. Lone in the still retreat,

Wounding the flowers to sweetness more intense,

She sank. ’T is thus, kind Nature lets our wo

Swell till it bursts forth from the o’erfraught breast;

Then draws an opiate from the bitter flow,

And lays her sorrowing child soft in the lap of rest.

Now all the mortal maid lies indolent,

Save one sweet cheek which the cool velvet turf

Had touch’d too rude, though all with blooms besprent,

One soft arm pillow’d. Whiter than the surf

That foams against the sea-rock, look’d her neck,

By the dark, glossy, odorous shrubs relieved,

That close inclining o’er her seem’d to reck

What ’t was they canopied; and quickly heaved

Beneath her robe’s white folds and azure zone,

Her heart yet incomposed; a fillet through

Peep’d brightly azure, while with tender moan

As if of bliss, Zephyr her ringlets blew

Sportive;—about her neck their gold he twined,

Kiss’d the soft violet on her temples warm,

And eyebrow—just so dark might well define

Its flexile arch;—throne of expression’s charm.

As the vex’d Caspian, though its rage be past

And the blue smiling heavens swell o’er in peace,

Shook to the centre, by the recent blast,

Heaves on tumultuous still, and hath not power to cease—

So still each little pulse was seen to throb

Though passion and its pains were lull’d to rest,

And “ever and anon” a piteous sob

Shook the pure arch expansive o’er her breast.

Save that ’t was all tranquillity; that reign’d

O’er fragrance, sound and beauty; all was mute—

Save where a dove her dear one’s absence plain’d

And the faint breeze mourn’d o’er the slumberer’s lute.

It chanced, that day, lured by the verdure, came

Zophiel, now minister of ill; but ere

He sinn’d, a heavenly angel. The faint flame

Of dying embers, on an altar, where

Raguel, fair Egla’s sire, in secret vow’d

And sacrificed to the sole living God,

Where friendless shades the sacred rites enshroud;—

The fiend beheld and knew; his soul was awed,

And he bethought him of the forfeit joys

Once his in heaven;—deep in a darkling grot

He sat him down;—the melancholy noise

Of leaf and creeping vine accordant with his thought.

When fiercer spirits howl’d, he but complain’d

Ere yet ’t was his to roam the pleasant earth,

His heaven-invented harp he still retain’d

Though tuned to bliss no more; and had its birth

Of him, beneath some black infernal clift

The first drear song of wo; and torment wrung

The spirit less severe where he might lift

His plaining voice—and frame the like as now he sung:

“Wo to thee, wild ambition, I employ

Despair’s dull notes thy dread effects to tell,

Born in high heaven, her peace thou couldst destroy,

And, but for thee, there had not been a hell.

“Through the celestial domes thy clarion peal’d,—

Angels, entranced, beneath thy banners ranged,

And straight were fiends;—hurl’d from the shrinking field,

They waked in agony to wail the change.

“Darting through all her veins the subtile fire

The world’s fair mistress first inhaled thy breath,

To lot of higher beings learn’d to aspire,—

Dared to attempt—and doom’d the world to death.

“Thy thousand wild desires, that still torment

The fiercely struggling soul, where peace once dwelt,

But perish’d;—feverish hope—drear discontent,

Impoisoning all possest—Oh! I have felt

“As spirits feel—yet not for man we mourn

Scarce o’er the silly bird in state were he,

That builds his nest, loves, sings the morn’s return,

And sleeps at evening; save by aid of thee,

“Fame ne’er had roused, nor song her records kept

The gem, the ore, the marble breathing life,

The pencil’s colors,—all in earth had slept,

Now see them mark with death his victim’s strife.

“Man found thee death—but death and dull decay

Baffling, by aid of thee, his mastery proves;—

By mighty works he swells his narrow day,

And reigns, for ages, on the world he loves.

“Yet what the price? with stings that never cease

Thou goad’st him on; and when, too keen the smart

He fain would pause awhile—and sighs for peace,

Food thou wilt have, or tear his victim heart.”

Thus Zophiel still,—“though now the infernal crew

Had gain’d by sin a privilege in the world,

Allay’d their torments in the cool night dew,

And by the dim star-light again their wings unfurl’d.”

And now, regretful of the joys his birth

Had promised; deserts, mounts and streams he crost,

To find, amid the loveliest spots of earth,

Faint likeness of the heaven he had lost.

And oft, by unsuccessful searching pain’d,

Weary he fainted through the toilsome hours;

And then his mystic nature he sustain’d

On steam of sacrifices—breath of flowers.

Sometimes he gave out oracles, amused

With mortal folly; resting on the shrines;

Or, all in some fair Sibyl’s form infused,

Spoke from her quivering lips, or penn’d her mystic lines.

And now he wanders on from glade to glade

To where more precious shrubs diffuse their balms,

And gliding through the thick inwoven shade

Where the young Hebrew lay in all her charms,

He caught a glimpse. The colors in her face—

Her bare white arms—her lips—her shining hair—

Burst on his view. He would have flown the place;

Fearing some faithful angel rested there,

Who ’d see him—rest of glory—lost to bliss—

Wandering and miserably panting—fain

To glean a scanty joy—with thoughts like this—

Came all he ’d known and lost—he writhed with pain

Ineffable—But what assail’d his ear,

A sigh?—surprised, another glance he took;

Then doubting—fearing—gradual coming near—

He ventured to her side and dared to look;

Whispering, “yes, ’t is of earth! So, new-found life

Refreshing, look’d sweet Eve, with purpose fell

When first sin’s sovereign gazed on her, and strife

Had with his heart, that grieved with arts of hell,

“Stern as it was, to win her o’er to death!—

Most beautiful of all in earth, in heaven,

Oh! could I quaff for aye that fragrant breath,

Couldst thou, or being likening thee, be given

“To bloom for ever for me thus—still true

To one dear theme, my full soul flowing o’er,

Would find no room for thought of what it knew—

Nor picturing forfeit transport, curse me more.

“But oh! severest pain!—I cannot be

In what I love, blest even the little span—

(With all a spirit’s keen capacity

For bliss) permitted the poor insect man.

“The few I ’ve seen and deem’d of worth to win

Like some sweet floweret mildew’d, in my arms,

Wither’d to hideousness—foul even as sin—

Grew fearful hags; and then with potent charm

“Of mutter’d word and harmful drug, did learn

To force me to their will. Down the damp grave

Loathing, I went at Endor, and uptorn

Brought back the dead; when tortured Saul did crave.

“To view his pending fate. Fair—nay, as this

Young slumberer, that dread witch; when, I array’d

In lovely shape, to meet my guileful kiss

She yielded first her lip. And thou, sweet maid—

What ’s it I see?—a recent tear has stray’d

And left its stain upon her cheek of bliss.—

“She ’s fallen to sleep in grief—haply been chid,

Or by rude mortal wrong’d. So let it prove

Meet for thy purpose: ’mid these blossoms hid,

I ’ll gaze; and when she wakes, with all that love

“And art can lend, come forth. He who would gain

A fond full heart, in love’s soft surgery skill’d,

Should seek it when ’t is sore; allay its pain—

With balm by pity prest ’t is all his own;—so heal’d,

“She may be mine a little year—even fair

And sweet as now—Oh! respite! while possest

I lose the dismal sense of my despair—

But then—I will not think upon the rest.

“And wherefore grieve to cloud her little day

Of fleeting life?—What doom from power divine

I bear eternal! thoughts of ruth, away!

Wake pretty fly!—and—while thou mayst,—be mine.

“Though but an hour—so thou suppliest thy looms

With shining silk, and in the cruel snare

Seest the fond bird entrapp’d, but for his plumes

To work thy robes, or twine amidst thy hair.”.