 | Poems of home and country |  |
103
THE DEPARTED TEACHER.
Gone, but not lost! the star of day,
Merged in the morning radiance, dies,
But holds, unseen, its onward way,
And walks in glory through the skies.
Merged in the morning radiance, dies,
But holds, unseen, its onward way,
And walks in glory through the skies.
The brilliant orbs that guard the night,
Like priests around their altar-fires,
Quenched, but not lost, a living light,
Are watching still, though night retires.
Like priests around their altar-fires,
Quenched, but not lost, a living light,
Are watching still, though night retires.
Gone, but not lost! the glowing sun
Sinks, weary, 'neath the darkening west,
But tho' his daily race is run,
New worlds are by his presence blest.
Sinks, weary, 'neath the darkening west,
But tho' his daily race is run,
New worlds are by his presence blest.
Gone, but not lost! the summer's bloom
Lies sleeping 'neath the wintry snow;
But richer fruits spring from the tomb,
From dark decay fair harvest grow.
Lies sleeping 'neath the wintry snow;
But richer fruits spring from the tomb,
From dark decay fair harvest grow.
Gone, but not lost! who lives sublime
Lives beyond life, he cannot die;
Born for all years, for every clime,
His a true immortality.
Lives beyond life, he cannot die;
Born for all years, for every clime,
His a true immortality.
We weep as, one by one, we lay
Our brethren with the garnered host,
While gratefully the ages say,
No saintly life is ever lost.
Our brethren with the garnered host,
While gratefully the ages say,
No saintly life is ever lost.
104
Farewell, the reverend teacher sleeps,
Taken, alas! yet doubly given;
His life undimmed, its pathway keeps—
One course alike in earth and heaven.
Taken, alas! yet doubly given;
His life undimmed, its pathway keeps—
One course alike in earth and heaven.
January, 1875.
| Poems of home and country | |