“TELL ME GOOD-BY”
Dark Southern girl! the dream-like day is past,
The harbor light burns red against the sky;
In the high blue, star follows star full fast;
The ship that takes me northward loometh nigh;
“Tell me good-by!”
Good-by to the red rose that is your mouth,
The tender violets that are your sigh;
The sweetness that you are—that is my South;
Ah, not too soon, Enchantress, do I fly!
“Tell me good-by.”
“Tell me good-by,”—but not too sweetly tell
Lest all too hard the going, lest I cry
“Never, no never!” tho' the parting bell
Ring madly in the night; not then could I
Tell you good-by.
