 | Italy and Other Poems |  |
There, thou, at last, in the still grave, hast found
Thy place of rest, my sister! on whose couch,
Moon after moon, as years toil'd slowly round,
Rest dwelt not, chas'd of untold pangs, that rous'd
To nightly vigils. Yet, while sharp disease,
Tho' slow, hung ceaseless o'er thee, thy pale lip
Still spake of Hope, nor lost in pain its smile.
Rest thou with God! with us, who yet remain,
Thy bright example! and, if such on earth
Our doom, Saint! sorely tried, breathe in our souls
A portion of thy spirit!—And thou, too,
With these, my playful child!—where now that voice,
Whose sound was as gay music? Thou art gone,
Whose fancy was the magic of bright dreams,
Making earth fairy-vision'd—sweetest flow'r
Cut off in beauty's bloom: in loveliest prime
Of life, when each new day new charms unfolds.
Thou art not, nor avails the tender thought
That dwells on what thou wert, on what hadst been,
(Train'd up by her who inly weeps thy loss)
If life had held its promise.
Thy place of rest, my sister! on whose couch,
Moon after moon, as years toil'd slowly round,
Rest dwelt not, chas'd of untold pangs, that rous'd
To nightly vigils. Yet, while sharp disease,
Tho' slow, hung ceaseless o'er thee, thy pale lip
Still spake of Hope, nor lost in pain its smile.
Rest thou with God! with us, who yet remain,
Thy bright example! and, if such on earth
Our doom, Saint! sorely tried, breathe in our souls
A portion of thy spirit!—And thou, too,
296
Whose sound was as gay music? Thou art gone,
Whose fancy was the magic of bright dreams,
Making earth fairy-vision'd—sweetest flow'r
Cut off in beauty's bloom: in loveliest prime
Of life, when each new day new charms unfolds.
Thou art not, nor avails the tender thought
That dwells on what thou wert, on what hadst been,
(Train'd up by her who inly weeps thy loss)
If life had held its promise.
Ah, farewell!
I may not dwell, unblam'd, with vain regret
On those who are no more—
Yet—yet—farewell!
I may not dwell, unblam'd, with vain regret
On those who are no more—
Yet—yet—farewell!
| Italy and Other Poems | |