Captive Dove

<SPAN name="startofbook"></SPAN> <h2> THE CAPTIVE DOVE. </h2> <p> Poor restless dove, I pity thee;<br/> And when I hear thy plaintive moan,<br/> I mourn for thy captivity,<br/> And in thy woes forget mine own.<br/> <br/> To see thee stand prepared to fly,<br/> And flap those useless wings of thine,<br/> And gaze into the distant sky,<br/> Would melt a harder heart than mine.<br/> <br/> In vain&mdash;in vain! Thou canst not rise:<br/> Thy prison roof confines thee there;<br/> Its slender wires delude thine eyes,<br/> And quench thy longings with despair.<br/> <br/> Oh, thou wert made to wander free<br/> In sunny mead and shady grove,<br/> And far beyond the rolling sea,<br/> In distant climes, at will to rove!<br/> <br/> Yet, hadst thou but one gentle mate<br/> Thy little drooping heart to cheer,<br/> And share with thee thy captive state,<br/> Thou couldst be happy even there.<br/> <br/> Yes, even there, if, listening by,<br/> One faithful dear companion stood,<br/> While gazing on her full bright eye,<br/> Thou mightst forget thy native wood<br/> <br/> But thou, poor solitary dove,<br/> Must make, unheard, thy joyless moan;<br/> The heart that Nature formed to love<br/> Must pine, neglected, and alone.<br/></p> <div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />