Heart Of Sorrow Life Of Regret

Three short chimes of the mantle clock announcing the ungodly hour,

Pelting raindrops against the window overlooking the bower;

A peaceful refuge is the library with wisdom gone unheard,

Then quietly though the hallway door they enter without a word.

Two youthful yet desperate lovers their bodies becomes entwine,

Passion rules the moment with their kisses tasting of evening's wine;

He pulls back apologetically telling her he must go away,

To escape a pauper's life, prosper, but vows to return someday.

 

Like changing of the guard, a new season, raises promise and change,

Nature repaints the landscape with autumn's extravagant color range;

But the passing of time can bring anxiety along with hope,

Weeks surrenders into months with no word she finds it hard to cope.

Her pious mother draws her aside and demands the father's name,

For her condition could no longer be concealed but felt no shame;

Her stern father told her she was being sent away tomorrow,

Leaving the only home she'd known gave rise to her heart of sorrow.



A nearby state, yet many miles distance, exile was bittersweet

Her uncle's household was more modest, she was warned to be discreet

From a guest to a servant destiny put forth an ugly face

Soon her time came, labor was difficult, with little to embrace

Tears of joy turned to pain as she was informed her baby was dead

But she heard it cry, something was wrong, is she being misled

Told it was to be taken away, lying words, that made her numb

Life is so unfair, people cruel, with sadness years to overcome



Little news of home, her letters unanswered, many tears she wept

Nowhere to turn, no where to go, her fate she refused to accept

Working their garden near the road that a ruddy youth daily trekked

Not a gentleman, a ruffian maybe, each day she would beck

A dock worker, unschooled yet clever, he captured her attention

Meeting at night, each had a motive, escaping her intention

Told he was moving down river, a new job, she became upset

She went along, stealing away, adding to her life of regret



Adventure mixed with uncertainty all added to her dismay

Even further from home they lived in a shack made of logs and clay

Near an army post the small hamlet was becoming a boom town

Families heading west chasing a dream but hers prompted but a frown

Many months passing Fall, Winter, and finally Spring came around

He became restless, she was with child, little love in him was found

Then one evening he never came home distraught she cried all night

So many days searching, the fact became known, he had taken flight



At an nearby Inn hired for room and board she learnt how to survive

Got up the courage, wrote a letter to her brother, she's alive

Many weeks passing, he replied to come home and quickly depart

Their parents died, mother from influenza, father with his heart

He had two children, remembering her first, she had time to mourn

Again restored this lady refused to accept pity or scorn

On the street she meant her first love and his wife so much to forget

A vanishing silhouette her heart of sorrow life of regret...

Author's Note

This epic is set in the early to mid nineteenth century....