University of Virginia Library


111

I.
THE OLD GREEN ARCHWAY

The old sleep-spectres would have passed away,
Had you been gracious, sweet. I should have slept,
And woke and smiled, and woke again and wept,
Too peaceful and too close to God to pray,
Your bosom being God-gifted to convey
The sense of sweet security to me:—
I should have found his soft repose in thee,
And sunk in heaven deeper day by day.
But heaven on earth is given to but few
To linger in,—I have seen it,—it is good
But it has vanished;—when it comes in view,
I know that I shall feel as if I stood
In the old green archway of that autumn wood,
And the first sweet angel-vision will be—you.