How Clear She Shines

How Clear She Shines – Emily Bronte

How clear she shines!

How quietly I lie beneath her guardian light;

While heaven and earth are whispering me,

” Tomorrow, wake, but, dream tonight.”

Yes, Fancy, come, my Fairy love!

These throbbing temples softly kiss;

And bend my lonely couch above

And bring me rest, and bring me bliss.

The world is going; the dark world, adieu!

Grim world, conceal thee till the day;

The heart, thou canst not all subdue,

Must still resist, if thou delay!

Thy love I will not, will not share;

Thy hatred only wakes a smile;

Thy griefs may wound – thy wrongs may tear,

But, oh, thy lies shall ne’er beguile!

While gazing on the stars that glow

Above me, in that stormless sea,

I long to hope that all the woe

Creation knows, is held in thee!

And, this shall be my dream tonight;

I’ll think the heaven of glorious spheres

Is rolling on its course of light

In endless bliss, through endless years;

I’ll think, there’s not one world above,

Far as these straining eyes can see,

Where

Wisdom ever laughed at Love,

Or Virtue crouched to Infamy;.

Where writhing ‘neath the strokes of Fate,

The mangled wretch was forced to smile;

To match his patience ‘gainst her hate,

His heart rebellious all the while.

Where Pleasure still will lead to wrong,

And helpless Reason warn in vain,

And Truth is weak, and

Treachery strong;

And Joy the surest path to Pain; And Peace, the lethargy of Grief; And Hope, a phantom of the soul; And Life, labor, void and brief; And Death, the despot of the whole!