Idle Words

The strongest love hath yet, at times,
A weakness in its pow’r;
And latent sickness often sends
The madness of an hour!
To her I loved, in bitterness
I said a cruel thing:
Ah me! how much of misery
From idle words may spring!

I loved her then - I love her still;
But there was in my blood
A growing fever, that did give
Its frenzy to my mood;
I sneer’d because another’s sneers
Had power my heart to wring:
Ah me! how much of misery
From idle words may spring!

And when, with tears of wonder, she
Look’d up into my face,
I coldly turned away mine eyes,
Avoiding her embrace;
Idly I spoke of idle doubts,
And many an idle thing:
Ah me! how much of misery
From idle words may spring!

‘Twas over soon, the cause; not soon
The sad effects pass’d by;
They rule beneath the winter’s sun,
And ‘neath the summer’s sky!
I sought forgiveness; she forgave,
But kept the lurking sting:
Ah me! how much of misery
From idle words may spring!

Month after month, year after year,
I strove to win again
The heart an idle word had lost,
But strove, alas! in vain.
Oh! ye who love, beware lest thorns
Across Love’s path ye fling:
Ye little know what misery
From idle words may spring!


- Major Calder Campbell