Whene'er those forms arise before my sight,
E'en as from hideous visions of the night,
I cover up my eyes, I veil my head,
I shrink in terror, and dismay, and dread,
And wave them from me; and in agony
Unto the saving feet of God I fly,
Lest I be scared to madness with the dream
Of all that I have lostso that I seem
To loathe that which I love beyond all measure:
Like to a miser robbed of his dear treasure,
Clutching for ever a distracting vision
Of gold and jewels, 'twixt the apparition
And his real beggary lashed to utter madness.
If on the midnight void of my deep sadness,
The dear delusion of your presence shine,
I fear to look upon ye, treasures mine,
Lest the tormented heart and failing brain
Rest in delirium from too fierce a pain;
Change hopeless sorrow for insanity,
And mental ruin end this misery.
And it were betterbetter thus to dwell
In a mad Heaven, than in a conscious Hell;
Better to lose this lurid light of reason,
Which shows me but a dark and empty prison.
Oh come, I will not fly ye any more,
Come, come, dear fatal visions, and before
This light of truth, that shows ye are not here,
Spread sweet delusions! Come, I will not fear;
Let reason, faith, and fortitude forbear
Their ministry of torturehail, despair!
And welcome ye, ye long-departed dreams,
In which, once more, my life a blessing seems;
O gracious shapes! O silver ringing voices!
At whose dear sound my heart once more rejoices;
O floating, glorious braids of sunny hair!
O eyes of morning light, keen, soft, and fair!
O sinless brows of holy innocence!
Stay, stay with me, depart not ever hence;
Shut out all forms of dire reality.
Belovèd phantoms, speakoh, speak to me
Sweet words of lovewalk ever by my side,
The hateful witness of all sense denied;
Nothing will I behold, naught feel, naught hear,
Save ye, most precious! ye alone, most dear!
O ye pale ghosts of love and joy, to ye
I dedicate all that remains of me!
I can no more endure, no longer strive,
Madness from sin shall save my soul alive.
