06/08/2026
To Hope:
When I find myself alone by my solitary hearth,
And dark thoughts envelop my soul in despair;
When no beautiful visions dance before my mind's eye,
And the barren landscape of life offers no bloom;
O Sweet Hope, ethereal balm, bestow upon me your grace,
And let your silver wings hover gently above my head!
Whenever I wander at the fall of night,
Where woven branches obscure the moon's radiant light,
Should melancholy thoughts disturb my reflections,
And seek to banish joyful cheer from my heart,
Glimpse through the moonbeams that filter through the leafy canopy,
And keep the specter of Despondence at bay!
Should Disappointment, the progenitor of Despair,
Attempt to seize my unsuspecting heart;
When, like a cloud, he looms in the air,
Preparing to pounce upon his entrapped prey:
Chase him away, O Sweet Hope, with your radiant visage,
And frighten him as the morning dispels the night!
Whenever the fate of those I cherish most
Brings tidings of sorrow to my anxious breast,
O bright-eyed Hope, uplift my troubled spirit;
Allow me to borrow your sweetest comforts for a time:
Let your divine radiance envelop me,
And let your silver wings grace my head!
Should unrequited love cause anguish in my heart,
Whether from unyielding parents or a relentless beloved;
O let me believe it is not entirely in vain
To sigh sonnets into the midnight air!
Sweet Hope, ethereal balm, bestow upon me your grace,
And let your silver wings hover gently above my head!
In the long expanse of the years yet to come,
Let me not witness the decline of our nation's honor:
O let me see our land preserve her spirit,
Her pride, her freedom; and not merely the shadow of freedom.
From your bright eyes, let an extraordinary light shine—
Beneath your wings, may my head find shelter!
Let me not witness the noble legacy of the patriot,
Great Liberty! how magnificent in her humble guise!
Oppressed by the sordid purple of the court,
Bowing her head, on the brink of extinction:
But let me see you descend from heaven on wings
That fill the skies with shimmering brilliance!
And as a star, in sparkling majesty,
Illuminates the dark summit of a gloomy cloud;
Brightening the partially veiled face of heaven afar:
So, when dark thoughts shroud my foreboding spirit,
Sweet Hope, celestial influence, envelop me,
Waving your silver wings above my head!
