I sang thee other lays,
Eiblin a ruin,
But these were happy days,
Eiblin a ruin,
When mount and vale and grove,
Where we were wont to rove,
Were beautified by love,
Eiblin a ruin.
I said I loved thee well,
Eiblin a ruin.
Too fondly far to tell,
Eiblin a ruin.
I loved thee as the day,
Serener for the ray,
Thy smile shed o'er my way,
Eiblin a ruin.
But day has turned to night,
Eiblin a ruin.
With clouds and gloom and blight,
Eiblin a ruin,
Yet here an outlaw lone,
My heart else, like a stone,
Is more and more thy own,
Eiblin a ruin.
When in some rocky glen,
Eiblin a ruin.
I share the wild dog's den,
Eiblin a ruin,
Oppressed with woe and care,
As sleep comes o'er me there,
Methinks I hear thy prayer,
Eiblin a ruin.
Throughout that troubled rest,
Eiblin a ruin
Thy image fills my breast,
Eiblin a ruin,
And ere the vision's fled,
My cold and flinty bed
Seems down unto my head,
Eiblin a ruin.
As night's dark shadow flies,
Eiblin a ruin,
Along the opening skies,
Eiblin a ruin,
In the soft purpling ray,
That heralds early day,
I see thy fond smile play,
Eiblin a ruin.
When, dangers thick'ning fast,
Eiblin a ruin,
My fate seemed sealed at last,
Eiblin a ruin.
A low voice ever near,
Still whispers in mine ear—
"For her sake do not fear"—
Eiblin a ruin,
And oh, 'tis that lone hope,
Eiblin a ruin,
That nerves this heart to cope,
Eiblin a ruin.
With peril and with pain,
And surging of the brain,
More boisterous than the main,
Eiblin a ruin.
TO MY WIFE
And what was the world to me, love,
Or why should its honours divide
The feelings that centred in thee, love,
As fondly you clung to my side;
Or why should ambition or glory,
E'er tempt me to wander so far,
For sake of distinction in story,
From thee, my heart's faithfulest star.