494. Song—Farewell thou stream that winding flows

Read '494. Song—Farewell thou stream that winding flows' by 'Robert Burns' and provide your summary and literary analysis in the comments section below.

494. Song—Farewell thou stream that winding flows by Robert Burns

 FAREWELL, thou stream that winding flows
 Around Eliza’s dwelling;
O mem’ry! spare the cruel thoes
 Within my bosom swelling.
Condemn’d to drag a hopeless chain
 And yet in secret languish;
To feel a fire in every vein,
 Nor dare disclose my anguish.


Love’s veriest wretch, unseen, unknown,
 I fain my griefs would cover;
The bursting sigh, th’ unweeting groan,
 Betray the hapless lover.
I know thou doom’st me to despair,
 Nor wilt, nor canst relieve me;
But, O Eliza, hear one prayer—
 For pity’s sake forgive me!


The music of thy voice I heard,
 Nor wist while it enslav’d me;
I saw thine eyes, yet nothing fear’d,
 Till fears no more had sav’d me:
Th’ unwary sailor thus, aghast
 The wheeling torrent viewing,
’Mid circling horrors sinks at last,
 In overwhelming ruin.

Form: Lyric

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