 | Later Lyrics |  |
THE LEGACY.
Her verses,—where she lies
The tall trees bend and whisper;
Soft voices from the skies
Recall the tuneful lisper:
The sunny nooks she loved,
Her flower-beds untended,
Afflict us with neglect,
Like fair things ill-befriended.
The tall trees bend and whisper;
Soft voices from the skies
Recall the tuneful lisper:
The sunny nooks she loved,
Her flower-beds untended,
Afflict us with neglect,
Like fair things ill-befriended.
Yet 'tis so merciful
That Time wipes out our traces,
And that the thick-set moss
Grows o'er our darkened faces,
Till but some faithful heart
Our faded traits comprises,
And sorrow, dead in earth,
In harmless beauty rises.
That Time wipes out our traces,
And that the thick-set moss
Grows o'er our darkened faces,
Till but some faithful heart
Our faded traits comprises,
And sorrow, dead in earth,
In harmless beauty rises.
100
She had a guileless heart,
And Life was rude to grieve it;
She had a soul of fire,
And Heaven is kind to shrive it:
The years are past that said,
“Keep long this seal unbroken;
But, when my name's forgot,
Then let my words be spoken.”
And Life was rude to grieve it;
She had a soul of fire,
And Heaven is kind to shrive it:
The years are past that said,
“Keep long this seal unbroken;
But, when my name's forgot,
Then let my words be spoken.”
So, standing at her grave,
With trembling hands I gather
The blossoms of her life,
Bedimmed with rust and weather.
O World! while thus I wave
Her dead hand's blessing o'er thee,
Think 'tis my other self
Whose heart lies bare before thee.
With trembling hands I gather
The blossoms of her life,
Bedimmed with rust and weather.
O World! while thus I wave
Her dead hand's blessing o'er thee,
Think 'tis my other self
Whose heart lies bare before thee.
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