 | Stories that might be true |  |
124
HOPE AND MEMORY.
Two spirit-voices sighed upon the air,
“Oh, love us! part us never! we are fair
Only together! fondly would we fling
Our clasping arms about thee still, and cling
Like gentle parasites, that round thy lot
Entwine their mingling blooms—then part us not!
“Oh, love us! part us never! we are fair
Only together! fondly would we fling
Our clasping arms about thee still, and cling
Like gentle parasites, that round thy lot
Entwine their mingling blooms—then part us not!
“For we are patient slaves, twin-born, our fate
Is still upon thy steps to watch and wait,
And o'er thy path to hover! drear would be
Its course, but for the chequered tracery
Our light wings weave, as o'er thy changeful way
With shade and sunshine tremulous they play;
Is still upon thy steps to watch and wait,
And o'er thy path to hover! drear would be
Its course, but for the chequered tracery
Our light wings weave, as o'er thy changeful way
With shade and sunshine tremulous they play;
“One flits before, yet turning to thee oft
With gay and beck'ning gesture, whispers soft
Of many a goodly, many a glorious thing
She sees far onwards. One, slow-following,
With sad and patient smile, unto her breast
Gathers the flowers thy hasty foot hath prest,
With gay and beck'ning gesture, whispers soft
Of many a goodly, many a glorious thing
She sees far onwards. One, slow-following,
With sad and patient smile, unto her breast
Gathers the flowers thy hasty foot hath prest,
125
“And warms them there, until each flower receives
A soul, a spirit through its withered leaves
To breathe undyingly around thy heart
A silent fragrance—scattered far apart
Its treasures lie, until the loved, the fair,
The lost, are bound in one pale garland there!
A soul, a spirit through its withered leaves
To breathe undyingly around thy heart
A silent fragrance—scattered far apart
Its treasures lie, until the loved, the fair,
The lost, are bound in one pale garland there!
“We are thy guides; companions through the day,
By night though sleep forsake thee we will stay;
Thou shalt not miss her with her dreams, for we
Will sit and tell thee many a history,
And sing thee songs of soothing:” then alone,
Arose, methought, the voice of sadder tone.
By night though sleep forsake thee we will stay;
Thou shalt not miss her with her dreams, for we
Will sit and tell thee many a history,
And sing thee songs of soothing:” then alone,
Arose, methought, the voice of sadder tone.
“Oh, love us! love my sister best! her strain
Was caught from Heaven, and bears her there again;
Her lot, her place, are with the blessed! still
Their angel-harpings on her accents thrill;
Still towards their source her visions mount and yearn;
I am of dust and unto it return!
Was caught from Heaven, and bears her there again;
Her lot, her place, are with the blessed! still
Their angel-harpings on her accents thrill;
Still towards their source her visions mount and yearn;
I am of dust and unto it return!
“My eyes are fixed upon the ground, they cling
With timid trust to each familiar thing;
My voice is but an Echo, lingering on
Round some old temple, whence the Gods are gone;
Thou wilt not therefore scorn me? listen! She,
The bird of Heaven hath borrowed notes from me!”
With timid trust to each familiar thing;
My voice is but an Echo, lingering on
Round some old temple, whence the Gods are gone;
126
The bird of Heaven hath borrowed notes from me!”
Then warbled that clear voice, “an endless sigh
My sister's song would be, but ere it die
I blend my utt'rance with the closing strain,
And whisper ‘all that has been comes again;’
I commune with her till her voice, her tone,
With all their sweetness, pass unto my own;”
My sister's song would be, but ere it die
I blend my utt'rance with the closing strain,
And whisper ‘all that has been comes again;’
I commune with her till her voice, her tone,
With all their sweetness, pass unto my own;”
“She gazes on me till her features take
A smile of life and promise for my sake,
And soft and gleaming o'er my pictures, lies,
Caught from the tearful shining of her eyes
A rainbow-glory; we would mingle ever
Within its light—Oh, love us! part us never!”
A smile of life and promise for my sake,
And soft and gleaming o'er my pictures, lies,
Caught from the tearful shining of her eyes
A rainbow-glory; we would mingle ever
Within its light—Oh, love us! part us never!”
| Stories that might be true | |