 | Days and Hours |  |
317
THE PHANTOM.
Last even, when the sun was low,
I walk'd, where those bright waters flow,
Where we two wander'd long ago;
I walk'd, where those bright waters flow,
Where we two wander'd long ago;
With sad, slow steps I linger'd o'er
The ancient woods, the river-shore,
Where thou, alas! art found no more;
The ancient woods, the river-shore,
Where thou, alas! art found no more;
The winds that shook the dying flowers,
The echoes stirring in the bowers,
Seem'd as the voices of those hours;
The echoes stirring in the bowers,
Seem'd as the voices of those hours;
With raptured eyes I pierced the gloom,
With tears that might have thaw'd the tomb
I cried unto thy Spirit ‘Come,’
With tears that might have thaw'd the tomb
I cried unto thy Spirit ‘Come,’
‘Come forth,’ I cried, 'twixt hope and fear,
‘It is the hour when none are near,
Oh! come, beloved, meet me here.’
‘It is the hour when none are near,
Oh! come, beloved, meet me here.’
318
The sere leaves flitting in the dell
Whisper'd scornfully, as they fell,
‘Death is Death, immutable.
Whisper'd scornfully, as they fell,
‘Death is Death, immutable.
‘Thou that wouldst with impious haste
Call the Spirit from the vast
Of Nature, and recall the past;
Call the Spirit from the vast
Of Nature, and recall the past;
Can thy love unlock the earth?
Canst thou bid dry bones come forth,
And give dead dust another birth?
Canst thou bid dry bones come forth,
And give dead dust another birth?
Relume the flowers that fallen be,
Bring back the odors as they flee,
Or set the sere leaf on the tree?
Bring back the odors as they flee,
Or set the sere leaf on the tree?
If the soul might come to-day,
And with its old companions stay,
And tell them what the Angels say;
And with its old companions stay,
And tell them what the Angels say;
Such converse couldst thou live and bear,
That deep-eyed presence standing there
Love, even Love would never dare:
That deep-eyed presence standing there
Love, even Love would never dare:
319
Weep not the past, but hope instead,
Mourn not, nor be discomforted,
The Living cannot love the Dead.’
Mourn not, nor be discomforted,
The Living cannot love the Dead.’
The low winds murmur'd, as they went
‘Sigh not, weep not, be content,
Death is Death, can he relent?’
‘Sigh not, weep not, be content,
Death is Death, can he relent?’
Still I cried, 'twixt hope and fear,
‘It is even, none are here,
Awake, beloved—come anear.’
‘It is even, none are here,
Awake, beloved—come anear.’
Was it sad fancy's dreaming eyes,
Or an answer to my sighs?
Methought I saw a shadow rise.
Or an answer to my sighs?
Methought I saw a shadow rise.
Slowly it pass'd into the gray,
With mournful eyes half turn'd away;
And I heard a pale voice say,
With mournful eyes half turn'd away;
And I heard a pale voice say,
In tones beyond imaginings,
As when the wind with tangled wings
Is fluttering amid tuneful strings,
As when the wind with tangled wings
Is fluttering amid tuneful strings,
320
‘The Living cannot know the Dead,
But the Spirit that is fled
In good things past is perfected:
But the Spirit that is fled
In good things past is perfected:
The bliss of life it felt before
Thrills the Spirit o'er and o'er,
Love increaseth more and more;
Thrills the Spirit o'er and o'er,
Love increaseth more and more;
Never sorrow, never fear;
I am near thee, ever near,
Wakeful, more than eye or ear;
I am near thee, ever near,
Wakeful, more than eye or ear;
Sometime, dearest, we shall greet
Each other in this valley sweet—
The Future and the Past shall meet;
Each other in this valley sweet—
The Future and the Past shall meet;
Sometime, we shall linger o'er
These ancient woods, this river-shore,
These walks where I am found no more;
These ancient woods, this river-shore,
These walks where I am found no more;
Sometime, when the sun is low,
We shall wander, well I know,
Where we two wander'd long ago.
We shall wander, well I know,
Where we two wander'd long ago.
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