English Poetry. Thomas Moore. From “The Odes of Anacreon”. Ode 23. Томас Мур.

Thomas Moore (Томас Мур)

From “The Odes of Anacreon”. Ode 23

I often wish this languid lyre,
This warbler of my soul's desire,
Could raise the breath of song sublime,
To men of fame, in former time.
But when the soaring theme I try,
Along the chords my numbers die,
And whisper, with dissolving tone,
"Our sighs are given to love alone!"
Indignant at the feeble lay,
I tore the panting chords away,
Attuned them to a nobler swell,
And struck again the breathing shell;
In all the glow of epic fire,
To Hercules I wake the lyre,
But still its fainting sighs repeat,
"The tale of love alone is sweet!"
Then fare thee well, seductive dream,
That madest me follow Glory's theme;
For thou my lyre, and thou my heart,
Shall never more in spirit part;
And all that one has felt so well
The other shall as sweetly tell!

Thomas Moore’s other poems:

1. From “The Odes of Anacreon”. Ode 57
2. From “The Odes of Anacreon”. Ode 59
3. From “The Odes of Anacreon”. Ode 64
4. From “The Odes of Anacreon”. Ode 62
5. From “The Odes of Anacreon”. Ode 61

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