 | The heavenly guest with other unpublished writings |  |
14
A SAD OLD STORY
The summer wind was rustling in the elm-trees,
The summer flowers were blossoming below;
Two stood together in the little garden,
Touched softly by the sunset's fading glow.
The summer flowers were blossoming below;
Two stood together in the little garden,
Touched softly by the sunset's fading glow.
The voice of one rose sweet, and young, and eager,
Strong, full of hope and courage, firm and glad,
The other answered thrilling through the twilight,
Broken and tender, faltering and sad.
Strong, full of hope and courage, firm and glad,
The other answered thrilling through the twilight,
Broken and tender, faltering and sad.
“Mother,” he said, “wherever I am drifting
The wide world over, I shall think of you,
And I'll come back to you, O never doubt it!
So proudly sailing o'er the sparkling blue.”
The wide world over, I shall think of you,
And I'll come back to you, O never doubt it!
So proudly sailing o'er the sparkling blue.”
His bright head, with its locks of sunny beauty,
One little moment on her breast doth lie!
The next a cry goes through the balmy darkness,
“Goodbye, my darling! O my boy, goodbye!”
One little moment on her breast doth lie!
The next a cry goes through the balmy darkness,
“Goodbye, my darling! O my boy, goodbye!”
A winter morning on the fierce Atlantic,
And like a beast of prey the wild wind soars;
Rushing before it reins the raging ocean
To fling its flakes of ice on all the shores.
And like a beast of prey the wild wind soars;
Rushing before it reins the raging ocean
To fling its flakes of ice on all the shores.
A wreck is heaving slowly on the billows,
Torn by the hungry ledge's cruel teeth;
The red sun rises slow through stinging vapor,
And flares across the waves that kiss and seethe.
Torn by the hungry ledge's cruel teeth;
The red sun rises slow through stinging vapor,
And flares across the waves that kiss and seethe.
15
Swinging head downward from the tangled rigging
Flung o'er the stern, his bright hair in the brine
Washing forlornly, hangs the cherished darling,
Stark, frozen, with wide eyes that make no sign.
Flung o'er the stern, his bright hair in the brine
Washing forlornly, hangs the cherished darling,
Stark, frozen, with wide eyes that make no sign.
She sits and waits for him with love and longing,
She breathes his name with tender tears and prayers,
The while like tigers fierce the breakers toss him,
And in his face the mocking sunshine stares.
She breathes his name with tender tears and prayers,
The while like tigers fierce the breakers toss him,
And in his face the mocking sunshine stares.
| The heavenly guest with other unpublished writings | |