 | [The first greeting, in] The Golden Wedding |  |
27
THE FIRST GREETING.
Then when their early gold the leaves
Put on, and through October's sheaves
The warm winds rustling blew—
Two paths, which till that time had run
Apart, though near, were thenceforth one,
And one, till death—the Two,
Who, led by love, from neighbor lands,
Did walk therein with wedded hands.
Put on, and through October's sheaves
The warm winds rustling blew—
Two paths, which till that time had run
Apart, though near, were thenceforth one,
And one, till death—the Two,
Who, led by love, from neighbor lands,
Did walk therein with wedded hands.
Past what fair bowers and fairy streams,
What sweeter world of secret dreams,
And through what glooms unknown.
Their pathway winds, I can but guess,
But, surely, through much happiness,
For they are not alone;
But, dearer grown, each other see,
Or at the breast, or on the knee!
What sweeter world of secret dreams,
And through what glooms unknown.
28
But, surely, through much happiness,
For they are not alone;
But, dearer grown, each other see,
Or at the breast, or on the knee!
The house which God with children fills,
Like this, is blest, whatever ills
Its doors may darken after:
How sweet to watch them day by day,
To wipe their little tears away,
And hear their endless laughter!
And nearer heaven than aught on earth
A merry brood about the hearth!
Like this, is blest, whatever ills
Its doors may darken after:
How sweet to watch them day by day,
To wipe their little tears away,
And hear their endless laughter!
And nearer heaven than aught on earth
A merry brood about the hearth!
Yours, good and fair, ye good old pair,
Are grown, and scattered here and there,
With children of their own;
Yet, once more gathered as of old,
Their happy faces you behold,
And are no more alone;
And, as your lips are pressed to theirs,
Gone are your griefs and your gray hairs!
Are grown, and scattered here and there,
With children of their own;
Yet, once more gathered as of old,
Their happy faces you behold,
And are no more alone;
29
Gone are your griefs and your gray hairs!
The smiles and tears of fifty years
Have passed away—Age disappears:
You're in your May of life,
And, comelier than your children now,
Repeat to-day the holy vow
That made ye Man and Wife!
Sound! and, the bridal measure treading.
We older folk will keep your Golden Wedding.
Have passed away—Age disappears:
You're in your May of life,
And, comelier than your children now,
Repeat to-day the holy vow
That made ye Man and Wife!
Sound! and, the bridal measure treading.
We older folk will keep your Golden Wedding.
R. H. Stoddard.
| [The first greeting, in] The Golden Wedding | |