 | Rhymes with reason and without |  |
132
SPIRIT LONGING.
Forever wakefully the ear is turning
To catch some token from the shadowy sphere;
Forever is the full heart strongly yearning
Some word of promise from its depths to hear.
To catch some token from the shadowy sphere;
Forever is the full heart strongly yearning
Some word of promise from its depths to hear.
When the dark shadows flit along the ceiling,
As the dull firelight trembles in the grate,
Fancy, fond yet with old remembered feeling,
Striveth the loved and lost to re-create.
As the dull firelight trembles in the grate,
Fancy, fond yet with old remembered feeling,
Striveth the loved and lost to re-create.
It feels their presence in the hush of even,
When day's excitement settles to repose;
It sees them in the twilight hues of heaven,
And in the beauties that the stars disclose.
When day's excitement settles to repose;
It sees them in the twilight hues of heaven,
And in the beauties that the stars disclose.
It heeds the breezes that around are playing,
And in their music fain that voice would hear,
Whose melody it deems may yet be straying,
To glad the faithful hearts yet sorrowing here.
And in their music fain that voice would hear,
Whose melody it deems may yet be straying,
To glad the faithful hearts yet sorrowing here.
133
When midnight, resting like a pall above us,
Within its dusky arms enfoldeth all,
We list for those whom hope says still may love us,
And sigh as their unanswering names we call.
Within its dusky arms enfoldeth all,
We list for those whom hope says still may love us,
And sigh as their unanswering names we call.
We dream, and ever-faithful memory bringeth
Old happiness we may not know awake;
The rose of pleasure in our pathway springeth,
And rills of joy where we our thirst may slake.
Old happiness we may not know awake;
The rose of pleasure in our pathway springeth,
And rills of joy where we our thirst may slake.
But, O, returning consciousness dispelleth
The sweet illusion in whose thrall was bliss,
And strife renewed in life's encounter quelleth
Regrets, as we our dreams of joy dismiss!
The sweet illusion in whose thrall was bliss,
And strife renewed in life's encounter quelleth
Regrets, as we our dreams of joy dismiss!
And are there kindred spirits dwelling by us,
And mingling yet their loving thoughts with ours,
Forever drawing in communion nigh us,
In virtue's way to cheer our lagging powers?
And mingling yet their loving thoughts with ours,
Forever drawing in communion nigh us,
In virtue's way to cheer our lagging powers?
O, are there voices that may, at our asking,
Come to assure us of that better state,
Where, evermore in endless pleasures basking,
Those gone before our fond reünion wait?
Come to assure us of that better state,
Where, evermore in endless pleasures basking,
Those gone before our fond reünion wait?
The seeking soul asks for prophetic vision
To penetrate the dark, mysterious cloud
That intervenes between the land elysian
And this dull earth, where sins and sorrows crowd.
To penetrate the dark, mysterious cloud
That intervenes between the land elysian
And this dull earth, where sins and sorrows crowd.
134
The grave is not a bourn whose sombre portal
Closeth eternal o'er the bright and fair,
But through its gate to blessedness immortal
The spirit passeth, endless life to share.
Closeth eternal o'er the bright and fair,
But through its gate to blessedness immortal
The spirit passeth, endless life to share.
Still old affection hereward back is turning,
And whispering words to us of joy and peace,
And spiritual eyes are round us burning
With holier love as heavenly powers increase.
And whispering words to us of joy and peace,
And spiritual eyes are round us burning
With holier love as heavenly powers increase.
| Rhymes with reason and without | |