Page 12 of EBB's manuscript of "The African."
Accession #: EBB MSS, D0015.1
Transcription:
Above the rolling deep
With its wild numbers breaks
The sleep of misery!
Slowly from those opening eyes
Unclosed the lovely lid. . .
As clouds pass from th’ ethereal skies
Which that soft azure hid!
And in a tremulous voice, & low –
One faint convulsive plaintive groan –
Her lips breathed. . . "Brother." Stifled woe
Trembled in that bursting tone! –
She passed her hand on her throbbing brow,
'Twas cold, as the chill of winter snow –
Startled, she rose, and hastily,
The radiant orb of glorious light
Gilt her cheek, wet with the dews of night,
And smiled upon her agony –
She turned – oh Heaven! can this be she?
'Twas not the tear of grief, or sadness
Which trembled in that large dark eye –
'Twas the maniacs glance, & the wildness of madness
Which gleamed thro’ that long lash impatiently!
The flash of those eyes was fire, and yet
It was so sweetly terrible,
So softly and painfully it met
The sight – that it melted where it fell!
Oh twas a glance of wild entreat
So gently soft, so softly sweet