 | Forest buds, from the woods of Maine |  |
205
TO ONE DYING.
I know thou art dying; thy cheek is bright
With the rosy hue of life's sunset ray,
And in thine eyes unearthly light
I see the dawn of immortal day.
With the rosy hue of life's sunset ray,
And in thine eyes unearthly light
I see the dawn of immortal day.
I know thou art dying;—it seems to me
Thy face is an angel's, even now,
And gazing on thee, I almost see
A glory gathering about thy brow.
Thy face is an angel's, even now,
And gazing on thee, I almost see
A glory gathering about thy brow.
I know thou art dying; thy hand's light clasp
Grows more uncertain from day to day,
And when it falls from my longing grasp,
Thy feet will walk in the shining way.
Grows more uncertain from day to day,
And when it falls from my longing grasp,
Thy feet will walk in the shining way.
I know it all;—but no tear-drops start,—
My heart beats calmly and joyfully,
For I know the summons which bids us part,
Will only bring thee more near to me!
My heart beats calmly and joyfully,
For I know the summons which bids us part,
Will only bring thee more near to me!
206
The fervent love which my bosom warms
Has not been suffered to gladden thine,
For men's traditions and empty forms
Have hedged thy spirit away from mine,—
Has not been suffered to gladden thine,
For men's traditions and empty forms
Have hedged thy spirit away from mine,—
Another has pillowed thy glorious head,
Another has watched thy rest above,
Has lived in the light thy presence shed,
While only I was thy spirit-love.
Another has watched thy rest above,
Has lived in the light thy presence shed,
While only I was thy spirit-love.
And now, when clearly thy cloudless eyes
Are gazing farther than mine may see,
And earthly fetters and earthly ties
Are slowly falling away from thee,—
Are gazing farther than mine may see,
And earthly fetters and earthly ties
Are slowly falling away from thee,—
I joy to know that thy life of pain,
Thy term of bondage is nearly flown,
That death will sever thy galling chain,
And make thee wholly mine own—mine own!
Thy term of bondage is nearly flown,
That death will sever thy galling chain,
And make thee wholly mine own—mine own!
The burdens and crosses which earth lays on
Will vanish at death's releasing touch,
And thou who always since life begun
Hast wept and sorrowed and suffered much,
Will vanish at death's releasing touch,
And thou who always since life begun
Hast wept and sorrowed and suffered much,
Wilt rise from the fetters which bind thee here
As a freed bird flies from captivity,
And come unfearing, to bless and cheer
The heart that has waited so long for thee.
As a freed bird flies from captivity,
And come unfearing, to bless and cheer
The heart that has waited so long for thee.
207
In that existence, thy patient love
Will break the shackles it wears in this,
And I shall feel from the sphere above
Belovéd, thy first betrothal kiss!
Will break the shackles it wears in this,
And I shall feel from the sphere above
Belovéd, thy first betrothal kiss!
| Forest buds, from the woods of Maine | |