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Benoni

Poems by Arthur J. Munby

Munby, Arthur Joseph (1828-1910)

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[Thou, whom I know not—knew not; whose mere name]

[Life is like a tear]

HOPE.

[From month to month I come, from year]

THE PRISONERS OF HOPE.

[O sweet sad face, so ghastly dim]

VULCAN VICTORIOUS.

CLOUDLAND.

[Thou wert a timid girl in those wild days—]

[O full of all delicious dews]

LINUS.

GLAUCUS.

THE BRIDEGROOM'S SONG.

[If I should see thee where perhaps in peace]

PSYCHE AND HER TRIALS.

THE PROGRESS OF POETRY.

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HOPE.

No! the stars are not for ever
Lost behind the darkening sky;
They may pause awhile, but never
Cease to light us till we die.

Are they not sweet signals, twinkling
In the windows of our Home,
Thro' the waste around us sprinkling
Hopeful thoughts of things to come?

What if they be quench'd from o'er thee?
Deep within thy closed eyes
Faith shall woo them back before thee,
Sparkling in unshadow'd skies.

What tho' noon's deep blaze be clouded,
And the orient splendours gone?
Only shall the heavens be shrouded
Till the rising of the moon:

Then, the glare of day departed,
Shall a calm still light be born
Dearer to the brokenhearted
Than the richest blush of morn.

What if thou art worn and weeping?
Golden germs of peace and love
In thine anguish'd breast are sleeping,
Watch'd and water'd from above:

E'en tho' yet the harvest lingers,
Scarce the tender blades unfold,—
Sown by more than angel-fingers,
Who shall doubt the ripening gold?

Who—while gloom and sin-born sorrow
Fade before the unveiling years,
Till that clear Eternal Morrow
Dawn upon the night of tears.