Queen Berengaria's Courtesy, and Other Poems By the Lady E. Stuart Wortley. In Three Vols |
 | I, II, III. |
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A CHURCHYARD AT EVENING. |
 | Queen Berengaria's Courtesy, and Other Poems |  |
177
A CHURCHYARD AT EVENING.
The Grave-stones in the Evening light,
Marshalled in mute array,
Shine clearly—and look sheen and bright
With the last light of day.
Marshalled in mute array,
Shine clearly—and look sheen and bright
With the last light of day.
Those who beneath them silent rest,
Mark not that day's decline—
Time! he who is the grave's calm guest,
Need fear no stroke of thine.
Mark not that day's decline—
Time! he who is the grave's calm guest,
Need fear no stroke of thine.
Time, Time and Death, the harsh and dread,
The terrible—the stern,
Are powerless o'er the unconscious Dead,
Who never can return.
The terrible—the stern,
Are powerless o'er the unconscious Dead,
Who never can return.
178
The bright sun sets, day after day,
From them it takes no light;
They do not need the officious ray,
That makes their grass graves bright.—
From them it takes no light;
They do not need the officious ray,
That makes their grass graves bright.—
Time, hour by hour is stealing still
From Life its treasures all—
His shadows on those sleepers chill—
No more—no more may fall!—
From Life its treasures all—
His shadows on those sleepers chill—
No more—no more may fall!—
Time!—thou from them canst nothing take,
They ask not the hours to pause—
Nor do they quail, nor do they quake—
In dark destruction's jaws.
They ask not the hours to pause—
Nor do they quail, nor do they quake—
In dark destruction's jaws.
The worms with them may have their will,
Corruption have its way—
They are unmoved, and calm, and still,
And know not of dismay!
Corruption have its way—
They are unmoved, and calm, and still,
And know not of dismay!
179
The brave, brave Dead, in utter gloom
Untrembling they remain,
And what, though earthquakes shook their tomb,
That calm they should retain!
Untrembling they remain,
And what, though earthquakes shook their tomb,
That calm they should retain!
Though armies trampled o'er their head,
No fear should shake their rest;
No terrors can disturb the dead,
Of endless peace possessed!
No fear should shake their rest;
No terrors can disturb the dead,
Of endless peace possessed!
Elsewhere the soul with all its dreams,
Its thoughts and powers hath fled—
And midnight frowns—and sunshine streams,
Unmarked upon the Dead!
Its thoughts and powers hath fled—
And midnight frowns—and sunshine streams,
Unmarked upon the Dead!
But yet the deathless Feeling lives,
The Immortal Thought and will—
Man his frail tenement survives,
And is Immortal still!
The Immortal Thought and will—
Man his frail tenement survives,
And is Immortal still!
| Queen Berengaria's Courtesy, and Other Poems | |