 | Ballads and Lyrics by Katharine Tynan |  |
28
TO ROSE IN HEAVEN.
ROSE KAVANAGH. (Died February 26, 1891.)
I.
My Rose, 'twas the wild rose you were,
Trailing upon the hedgetop green;
No narrow garden hemmed you in.
You had the dearest face, my dear,
Rose and white with a touch of brown,
Sweet as the country come to town.
Trailing upon the hedgetop green;
No narrow garden hemmed you in.
You had the dearest face, my dear,
Rose and white with a touch of brown,
Sweet as the country come to town.
The children found your goodness out,
The old folk and the poor and weak,
And the dog's instinct wise and quick.
To me, my dear, in pain and doubt
What were you? Ah, well, none can take
The empty place that is heart-break.
The old folk and the poor and weak,
And the dog's instinct wise and quick.
To me, my dear, in pain and doubt
What were you? Ah, well, none can take
The empty place that is heart-break.
The bravest eyes that ever were
You had; the honest heart and mind,
The tolerant judgment large and kind.
Dear, in some day of pain and care,
How we shall miss your eyes and face!
And oh, your Heaven's a far-off place.
You had; the honest heart and mind,
The tolerant judgment large and kind.
Dear, in some day of pain and care,
How we shall miss your eyes and face!
And oh, your Heaven's a far-off place.
29
II.
You need not fear again
The east wind and the snows,
Nor dree your weird of pain,
Sickness and dying, Rose.
In God's land summer is,
And health and youth and bliss.
The east wind and the snows,
Nor dree your weird of pain,
Sickness and dying, Rose.
In God's land summer is,
And health and youth and bliss.
You need not go away,
When going was like death,
For leave to live your day,
For leave to draw your breath.
In God's land where you are,
Sweet is the summer air.
When going was like death,
For leave to live your day,
For leave to draw your breath.
In God's land where you are,
Sweet is the summer air.
You need not have for friend,
Housemate and wayfarer,
Pain that had never an end,
And sickness hard to bear;
Or lie the long night through
While life ebbed out from you.
Housemate and wayfarer,
Pain that had never an end,
And sickness hard to bear;
Or lie the long night through
While life ebbed out from you.
Oh! there is'no home-sickness,
Because it is our home;
Nor labour nor distress,
Nor watching wearisome.
You need not fear the snows,
North wind or east wind, Rose!
Because it is our home;
Nor labour nor distress,
Nor watching wearisome.
You need not fear the snows,
North wind or east wind, Rose!
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III.
I hope you will not wear in Heaven
A different face from that we knew,
Rose, like the rose that morn and even
Hath sun and dew!
A different face from that we knew,
Rose, like the rose that morn and even
Hath sun and dew!
Wear no new smiles, but smile as when
You were our own, to heal and bless,
Drawing from heavy hearts of men
Their heaviness.
You were our own, to heal and bless,
Drawing from heavy hearts of men
Their heaviness.
Be just so kind, be just so brave
There in your glory infinite!
No primrose growing on your grave
Is half so sweet
There in your glory infinite!
No primrose growing on your grave
Is half so sweet
As you, my dear, were in the world.
You leave your own place desolate,
The pale spring foliage is uncurled
And the birds mate
You leave your own place desolate,
The pale spring foliage is uncurled
And the birds mate
The pleasant days you loved of yore.
I think that where you are, my dear,
You love the things you loved before
When you were here.
I think that where you are, my dear,
You love the things you loved before
When you were here.
Wear no new face, but keep the old,
Look from your glory and your grace,
From underneath the rays of gold
With the old face!
Look from your glory and your grace,
From underneath the rays of gold
With the old face!
| Ballads and Lyrics by Katharine Tynan | |