Despondency:AnOde

despondency:anode

oppress'dwithgrief,oppress'dwithcare,

aburdenmorethanicanbear,

isetmedownandsigh;

olife!thouartagallingload,

alongarough,awearyroad,

towretchessuchasi!

dimbackwardasicastmyview,

whatsick'ningscenesappear!

whatsorrowsyetmaypiercemethrough,

toojustlyimayfear!

stillcaring,despairing,

mustbemybitterdoom;

mywoeshereshallclosene'er

butwiththeclosingtomb!

happy!yesonsofbusylife,

who,equaltothebustlingstrife,

nootherviewregard!

ev'nwhenthewishedend'sdenied,

yetwhilethebusymeansareplied,

theybringtheirownreward:

whilsti,ahope-abandon'dwight,

unfittedwithanaim,

meetev'rysadreturningnight,

andjoylessmornthesame!

you,bustling,andjustling,

forgeteachgriefandpain;

i,listless,yetrestless,

findev'ryprospectvain.

howblestthesolitary'slot,

who,all-forgetting,allforgot,

withinhishumblecell,

thecavern,wildwithtanglingroots,

sitso'erhisnewlygather'dfruits,

besidehiscrystalwell!

orhaply,tohisev'ningthought,

byunfrequentedstream,

thewaysofmenaredistantbrought,

afaint,collecteddream;

whilepraising,andraising

histhoughtstoheav'nonhigh,

aswand'ring,meand'ring,

heviewsthesolemnsky.

thani,nolonelyhermitplac'd

whereneverhumanfootsteptrac'd,

lessfittoplaythepart,

theluckymomenttoimprove,

andjusttostop,andjusttomove,

withself-respectingart:

butah!thosepleasures,loves,andjoys,