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205
THE SAILOR'S WIDOW.
Ah! sad the morn to me,
Though bright are earth and sky;
And on the smiling sea
I look with streaming eye!
Where yonder line so pale
Scarce parts the wave and air,
I watched his flying sail,
Till lost to vision there.
Passing away in distance far,
It vanished like a setting star!
My day-star, once it neared the shore;
But now 't was sunk to rise no more.
Though bright are earth and sky;
And on the smiling sea
I look with streaming eye!
Where yonder line so pale
Scarce parts the wave and air,
I watched his flying sail,
Till lost to vision there.
Passing away in distance far,
It vanished like a setting star!
My day-star, once it neared the shore;
But now 't was sunk to rise no more.
To hear my orphans call
Their father's name in vain
Brings gloom that 's like a pall,
And tears that shower like rain.
They ask, “Why don't he come
His little ones to take?”
I sit, with sorrow dumb,
And feel my heart-strings break.
Wild raged the storm that dismal night;—
It plucked him from our mortal sight!
His spirit up to God it gave,
While ocean yawned, his restless grave!
Their father's name in vain
Brings gloom that 's like a pall,
And tears that shower like rain.
They ask, “Why don't he come
His little ones to take?”
I sit, with sorrow dumb,
And feel my heart-strings break.
Wild raged the storm that dismal night;—
It plucked him from our mortal sight!
His spirit up to God it gave,
While ocean yawned, his restless grave!
206
My light of life is past;
And, from that fatal hour,
A shade of death is cast
On each fair earthly flower.
O, whither can I go,—
I dare not look above,—
Nor yon cold flood below,—
For my departed love?
Just Heaven would spurn my envious prayer;
In ocean's cave dwells dark Despair!
And, O, thou sea,—thou hungry sea,
A daily death I die by thee!
And, from that fatal hour,
A shade of death is cast
On each fair earthly flower.
O, whither can I go,—
I dare not look above,—
Nor yon cold flood below,—
For my departed love?
Just Heaven would spurn my envious prayer;
In ocean's cave dwells dark Despair!
And, O, thou sea,—thou hungry sea,
A daily death I die by thee!
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