 | At Sunset |  |
96
MARY A. LIVERMORE
The darkening of a brow belov'd,
The silence of a voice of cheer
That roused, reminded and reproved
For many a day, in many a year.
The silence of a voice of cheer
That roused, reminded and reproved
For many a day, in many a year.
She stood beside the beds of pain
Where fainting soldiers scarce drew breath;
She won them back to life again,
Or smiled away the pangs of death.
Where fainting soldiers scarce drew breath;
She won them back to life again,
Or smiled away the pangs of death.
When Duty bade the woman speak,
How bravely did she heed the call!
With presence resolute, yet meek,
She graced the temple and the hall.
How bravely did she heed the call!
With presence resolute, yet meek,
She graced the temple and the hall.
Three decades of laborious years,
Their holiday, the light of home;
Their record in the past appears,
Their promise, in the days to come.
Their holiday, the light of home;
Their record in the past appears,
Their promise, in the days to come.
For every earnest word she spake
Shall in Time's furrows ripen seed;
The labor shall our world awake
To take deep thought for human need.
Shall in Time's furrows ripen seed;
97
To take deep thought for human need.
We meet in sorrow at her grave,
Right lovingly we say farewell;
All richer for the life she gave,
All poorer for its broken spell.
Right lovingly we say farewell;
All richer for the life she gave,
All poorer for its broken spell.
1905.
| At Sunset | |