Anna Beddoes to Davies Giddy, 25 November 1806

Disappointment

Unknown, unseen my tears must flow
Unknown, unseen, my blushes glow
For sorrows none can share,
Since he who long possessed my heart
Has planted there a rankled dart
And left me to despair

He wistful gazed upon my face
Till there he fancied every grace
Which nature had denied;
He clasped me in the ivied Tower
Soft whispering in the moonlight hour
And warm and quick he sighed –

—

With wild delight my bosom beat
And sinking on the mouldering seat
Sad emblem of my fate,
My eyes, my lips too plainly told
The love they could no more withhold
And I am wise too late. –

—

Go triumph o’er a heart like mine
Forgotten leave me to repine
And seek a wealthier fair!
But lead her not beneath the Tower
Nor woo her in the moonlight hour
’Twould drive me to despair

—

A trembling ruin is my heart
My love like ivy will not part
But clings so closely o’er
’Twill form a shelter sweet for me
Where all unseen I’ll think on thee
Till I shall be no more. –

If you have never seen this little Poem tell me how you like it – I copied it out thinking it might perhaps please you – but then these kind of trifles are only agreeable when one is in the humour for them – [1]

Nov^r the 25^th

1806 D.G. [2]

Notes

[1] The poem, which resembles both Coleridge’s poem ‘Love’ and Mary Robinson’s ‘The Lady of the Black Tower’, appears to be Anna’s own.

[2] The dating note has been added by Giddy.