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269
NO. II. If Death should come at the appointed hour
I
If Death should come at the appointed hour
Not with his fears, his phantoms, and his sighs,
His javelin, his pale scowl, and hollow eyes,
But like a bridegroom burnish'd from his bower,
Radiant with lovingkindness, and the flower
Of youthful beauty, and should gently say,
‘Give me thy brother, or thy friend, to-day,
And I will give him deathless life and power;’
Not with his fears, his phantoms, and his sighs,
His javelin, his pale scowl, and hollow eyes,
But like a bridegroom burnish'd from his bower,
Radiant with lovingkindness, and the flower
Of youthful beauty, and should gently say,
‘Give me thy brother, or thy friend, to-day,
And I will give him deathless life and power;’
Wouldst thou not storm with sighs that Presence blest,
And clasp his knees, and cling unto his vest?
And cry, ‘Oh! couldst thou give that other part
Of his own life, my sympathetic heart?
Are we not one? oh! will he never pine
For my remember'd eyes, and tones of mine?
Take him; but let my soul no longer be,
Or let it share his immortality!’
And clasp his knees, and cling unto his vest?
And cry, ‘Oh! couldst thou give that other part
Of his own life, my sympathetic heart?
Are we not one? oh! will he never pine
For my remember'd eyes, and tones of mine?
Take him; but let my soul no longer be,
Or let it share his immortality!’
270
II
If he should say ‘O mortal, doom'd to war
With woe, of faint heart, and of feeble will,
Plumed with vain hopes no fortune shall fulfil,
His faithful eye shall seek thee from afar,
And into vales where living waters are
From sorrow he shall turn thy steps aside,
And from the shadow of the towers of Pride:
His winged soul shall reach thee from its star.’
With woe, of faint heart, and of feeble will,
Plumed with vain hopes no fortune shall fulfil,
His faithful eye shall seek thee from afar,
And into vales where living waters are
From sorrow he shall turn thy steps aside,
And from the shadow of the towers of Pride:
His winged soul shall reach thee from its star.’
‘O Spirit, we are dwellers of one home,
Where shall I seek him in the deep To Come?
The Worlds are wide, and when farewell is said,
Can aught restore the living to the dead?
Ah! when I die, will he not mourn in Heaven,
In bliss, in light, if I be unforgiven?
And wherefore should we part to meet again
While I am damn'd to thoughts more dread than pain?
Where shall I seek him in the deep To Come?
The Worlds are wide, and when farewell is said,
Can aught restore the living to the dead?
Ah! when I die, will he not mourn in Heaven,
In bliss, in light, if I be unforgiven?
And wherefore should we part to meet again
While I am damn'd to thoughts more dread than pain?
271
III
If he should say ‘Behold, thy friend is poor,
But I will give him all things: if he mourns
He shall be comforted, nor feel the scorns
Of Time, or taste of anguish any more:
Kind Spirits wait upon a sun-bright shore
To give him welcome: sorrow not, nor sigh,
I waft him where the happy islands lie,
And he shall feel no pain in passing o'er;’
But I will give him all things: if he mourns
He shall be comforted, nor feel the scorns
Of Time, or taste of anguish any more:
Kind Spirits wait upon a sun-bright shore
To give him welcome: sorrow not, nor sigh,
I waft him where the happy islands lie,
And he shall feel no pain in passing o'er;’
Wouldst thou not crave one last look of that face
So long the bright lamp of thy dwelling place?
Say, would thy fond eyes following on the road,
Tho' it should vanish in the light of God,
Be lit with joyful smiles, or dim with tears?
Wouldst thou turn back, or stand with listening ears?
Tho' the last look with glory from the Throne
Should see his garments burn, wouldst not thou bealone?
So long the bright lamp of thy dwelling place?
Say, would thy fond eyes following on the road,
Tho' it should vanish in the light of God,
Be lit with joyful smiles, or dim with tears?
Wouldst thou turn back, or stand with listening ears?
Tho' the last look with glory from the Throne
Should see his garments burn, wouldst not thou bealone?
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