 | Lays of Leisure Hours |  |
34
OH! SUN THAT SETS!
Oh! Sun that sets!
Soft falls thy light
Where black regrets
Mourn o'er Time's flight.
Soft falls thy light
Where black regrets
Mourn o'er Time's flight.
Oh! Sun that sets!
Peer the lids through—
Lids that grief wets
As with Death's dew!
Peer the lids through—
Lids that grief wets
As with Death's dew!
(Drops big and hot,
Drops shed in vain,
These can melt not
Grief's iron chain!)
Drops shed in vain,
These can melt not
Grief's iron chain!)
35
Lids too long sealed
'Gainst all things bright—
But thou'st revealed
Charms for Grief's sight.
'Gainst all things bright—
But thou'st revealed
Charms for Grief's sight.
Something seems there
Soothing, to calm
Suffering and care—
Shedding down balm!
Soothing, to calm
Suffering and care—
Shedding down balm!
Something there wakes
Hearts mute and lone—
Something that takes
Sympathy's tone.
Hearts mute and lone—
Something that takes
Sympathy's tone.
Oh! Sun that sets!
Dear to my sight,
Fears—pangs—regrets
Best love thy light!
Dear to my sight,
Fears—pangs—regrets
Best love thy light!
36
Aye! to crushed hearts,
Tortured and torn,
Whence Hope departs,
Leaving them lorn,
Tortured and torn,
Whence Hope departs,
Leaving them lorn,
Sun! Sun! that sets,
Thou must be dear
Since to regrets
Suffering and fear
Thou must be dear
Since to regrets
Suffering and fear
Morn can but bring
Promise of Pain,
Many a sharp sting
Threatens again!
Promise of Pain,
Many a sharp sting
Threatens again!
To the World's eye
Then seems laid bare
All that should fly
From its fierce stare!
Then seems laid bare
All that should fly
From its fierce stare!
37
Eve brings instead
Promise of Peace—
Clouds round us spread,
Bid the strife cease!
Promise of Peace—
Clouds round us spread,
Bid the strife cease!
Since evermore—
Prompted by pride—
Sufferings too sore
Fain would we hide!
Prompted by pride—
Sufferings too sore
Fain would we hide!
Thence still arise
Sufferings more dire,
Pent, prisoned sighs
Turn to keen fire.
Sufferings more dire,
Pent, prisoned sighs
Turn to keen fire.
Tears we restrain—
Ten-fold their smart—
Cankering the brain,
Poisoning the heart!
Ten-fold their smart—
Cankering the brain,
Poisoning the heart!
38
Thence springs a strife
Deadly and deep—
'Twere peace and life
Dared we but weep!
Deadly and deep—
'Twere peace and life
Dared we but weep!
Pride—mortal pride—
Haughty and high—
Thou chain'st the tide,
Thou check'st the sigh!
Haughty and high—
Thou chain'st the tide,
Thou check'st the sigh!
Destiny's blow
Mutely we bear;
Scorning to show
Helpless despair.
Mutely we bear;
Scorning to show
Helpless despair.
Kiss we the knife—
Praise we the Pain—
Seek we the strife—
Clasp we the Chain!
Praise we the Pain—
Seek we the strife—
Clasp we the Chain!
39
But 'tis Despair
Worse than the worst,
Which none may share,
Trebly accursed.
Worse than the worst,
Which none may share,
Trebly accursed.
Stern toil and task—
Struggling to throw
Some likely mask
O'er our deep woe!
Struggling to throw
Some likely mask
O'er our deep woe!
This makes the day
Harsh and unblessed—
Night's gracious sway
Brings us dear rest!
Harsh and unblessed—
Night's gracious sway
Brings us dear rest!
Oh! Sun that sets!
Gazing at thee,
Grief's slave forgets
Pride's slave to be!
Gazing at thee,
Grief's slave forgets
Pride's slave to be!
40
Soothed and consoled
Lies the lulled heart—
World—harsh and cold
Shut out thou art!
Lies the lulled heart—
World—harsh and cold
Shut out thou art!
Oh! Sun that sets!
Fairest to me,
Loves, fears, regrets,
Still turn to thee!
Fairest to me,
Loves, fears, regrets,
Still turn to thee!
Oh! Sun that sets!
Thou seem'st to say,
“Fate's debt of debts
I too must pay!
Thou seem'st to say,
“Fate's debt of debts
I too must pay!
“It must be mine,
Waning to stoop—
Bowed to decline—
Wasting to droop!
Waning to stoop—
Bowed to decline—
Wasting to droop!
41
“Lingering to sink,
'Tis my doom yet,
Lessening to shrink,
Lowering to set!”
'Tis my doom yet,
Lessening to shrink,
Lowering to set!”
Oh! Sun that sets!
Thy smile appears
Fair to regrets
Sufferings and tears.
Thy smile appears
Fair to regrets
Sufferings and tears.
Not thus alone
Seem'st thou to say—
When from thy throne
Passing away!
Seem'st thou to say—
When from thy throne
Passing away!
Yet something more
Dost thou unfold—
When from Heaven's floor
Thy state is rolled!
Dost thou unfold—
When from Heaven's floor
Thy state is rolled!
42
Sun! Sun that sets!
Thou seem'st to say—
“Fear not Fate's threats—
Wait the new day!”
Thou seem'st to say—
“Fear not Fate's threats—
Wait the new day!”
Oh! Sun that sets!
Thou speak'st in Power,
“Sunrise forgets
Sunset's faint hour!
Thou speak'st in Power,
“Sunrise forgets
Sunset's faint hour!
“Dim now may seem
The arch of the sky—
Night like a Dream
Yet shall pass by!
The arch of the sky—
Night like a Dream
Yet shall pass by!
“Emptied of light
Heaven may appear—
Yet soon, Oh! Night!
Ends thy career!
Heaven may appear—
Yet soon, Oh! Night!
Ends thy career!
43
“Mortal—round thee
Dark clouds may frown—
Yet light shall be
Once more thine own!
Dark clouds may frown—
Yet light shall be
Once more thine own!
“But for awhile
Darkness shall lower—
Day yet shall smile—
Wait the bright hour!
Darkness shall lower—
Day yet shall smile—
Wait the bright hour!
“Thy Sun divine
Canst thou forget?
Shall that decline?
Say, can that set?
Canst thou forget?
Shall that decline?
Say, can that set?
“Thy soul and mind
Are but as rays
Scarce yet defined,
Caught from that blaze!”
Are but as rays
Scarce yet defined,
Caught from that blaze!”
44
Sun! Sun that sets!
Hail to thine hour—
Grief then forgets
Pain's deadliest power!
Hail to thine hour—
Grief then forgets
Pain's deadliest power!
Oh! Sun that sets!
Suffering no more
Fevers and frets
This heart's wrung core!
Suffering no more
Fevers and frets
This heart's wrung core!
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