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10. The Heart's Lament
5 May 1853
5 May 1853
Almost two months after Orion began the Hannibal Daily Journal in conjunction with the Weekly Journal, Clemens reappeared as “Rambler”—first a reporter of local events and then a poet. “The Heart's Lament” was written for the Daily Journal and was dedicated to “Bettie W———e, of Tennessee,” who has not been identified. It is the first of three utterly conventional sentimental love poems by Rambler to appear in the Hannibal newspapers within one week. They suggest an acquaintance with Thomas Moore's love songs and ballads or other poems in a similar vein.
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I know thou wilt forget me,
For that fond soul of thine
Turns boldly from the passionate,
And ardent love of mine.
It may be, that thou deemest it
A light and simple thing,
To strike with bold and nervous arm,
The heart's lone mystic string.
Thou wilt not deign to hear the strain,
Thy own dear hand hath woke;
It matters not if ne'er to thee
Its Ⓐemendationtroubling echoes broke.
I know—ay, well, thou wilt forget
I ever dreamed of thee;
Thou lovest not, thou carest not,
My fettered soul to free.
Tho' gay and gifted crowd thee around,
The beautiful are thine—
Then how canst thou, Oh! lofty one,
Kneel at a lonely shrine?
[begin page 90] I ask it not; Oh, never more
My soul's cry shalt thou hear—
My heart shall learn in bitterness,
To hide its love so dear.
The Heart's Lament
TO BETTIE W———E, OF TENNESSEE.I know thou wilt forget me,
For that fond soul of thine
Turns boldly from the passionate,
And ardent love of mine.
It may be, that thou deemest it
A light and simple thing,
To strike with bold and nervous arm,
The heart's lone mystic string.
Thou wilt not deign to hear the strain,
Thy own dear hand hath woke;
It matters not if ne'er to thee
Its Ⓐemendationtroubling echoes broke.
I know—ay, well, thou wilt forget
I ever dreamed of thee;
Thou lovest not, thou carest not,
My fettered soul to free.
Tho' gay and gifted crowd thee around,
The beautiful are thine—
Then how canst thou, Oh! lofty one,
Kneel at a lonely shrine?
[begin page 90] I ask it not; Oh, never more
My soul's cry shalt thou hear—
My heart shall learn in bitterness,
To hide its love so dear.
Rambler.
Editorial Emendations The Heart's Lament
Ⓐ
Its (I-C) ●
It's
The first printing appeared in the Hannibal Daily Journal for 5 May 1853 (p. 2). The only known copy of this printing, in MoHist, is copy-text. The poem was reprinted in the Hannibal Weekly Journal for 12 May 1853 (p. 1). Collation shows no variation between these printings, and it seems likely that the Weekly printing is a reimpression of the Daily's standing type. Clemens may have typeset and proofread the poem. There are no textual notes.