 | Forest buds, from the woods of Maine |  |
39
THE ANSWERED PRAYER.
A maiden knelt in her chamber
At the quiet close of day,
And prayed for her absent lover
On the dark blue sea away.
At the quiet close of day,
And prayed for her absent lover
On the dark blue sea away.
She prayed for his safe returning,
So vainly looked for yet,—
“Oh, grant,” she said, “I may meet him
Ere the morrow's sun shall set!”
So vainly looked for yet,—
“Oh, grant,” she said, “I may meet him
Ere the morrow's sun shall set!”
The stormy night shut darkly
Afar o'er the raging sea,
Where the bark of the absent lover
Lay drifting hopelessly.
Afar o'er the raging sea,
Where the bark of the absent lover
Lay drifting hopelessly.
The angrily dashing billows
Called loudly to the sky,
And the wind-god, fiercely raving,
Howled back a harsh reply.
Called loudly to the sky,
And the wind-god, fiercely raving,
Howled back a harsh reply.
40
And, bravest of all the seamen,
Was seen that lover's form,
Till the wrecked dismantled vessel
Went down in the raging storm.
Was seen that lover's form,
Till the wrecked dismantled vessel
Went down in the raging storm.
The maiden stirred in her slumbers,
And whispered murmuringly,
While a smile passed over her features,—
“Dearest, I come to thee!”
And whispered murmuringly,
While a smile passed over her features,—
“Dearest, I come to thee!”
The beams of the rising morning
O'er the tranquil ocean swept,
But deep in its quiet bosom
The pale-browed lover slept.
O'er the tranquil ocean swept,
But deep in its quiet bosom
The pale-browed lover slept.
At the maiden's vine-wreathed lattice
Came in the rosy light,
But it fell on a pulseless bosom,
And a face all still and white.
Came in the rosy light,
But it fell on a pulseless bosom,
And a face all still and white.
Why lieth the gentle maiden
So silently cold and fair?
The Father, in love and mercy,
Hath granted her evening prayer!
So silently cold and fair?
The Father, in love and mercy,
Hath granted her evening prayer!
| Forest buds, from the woods of Maine | |