1 "Ah, luckless babe, born under cruel star, 2 And in dead parents' baleful ashes bred,
baleful > unhappy, sorrowful; full of active evil; "bale" also = "funeral pyre", so alluding to the legend of the phoenix
3 Full little ween you what sorrows are
Full > Very, exceedingly ween you > do you imagine
4 Left you for portion of your livelihead;
portion > {Share of an estate left to an heir} livelihead > inheritance; means of living
5 Poor orphan in the wide world scattered, 6 As budding branch rent from the native tree,
As > [Like a] rent > torn native > {Parent; pertaining to one's birthright}
7 And thrown forth, till it be withered: 8 Such is the state of men: thus enter we 9 Into this life with woe, and end with misery."
202.3