 | The Poetical Works of Caroline Bowles Southey |  |
247
WHEN SHALL WE MEET AGAIN?
“When shall we meet again?” my friend,
An awful question thine;
“Where shall we meet again?” Not ours
The secret to divine.
An awful question thine;
“Where shall we meet again?” Not ours
The secret to divine.
Not ours to lift the veil, perchance
In tender mercy drawn;
Oh! could we look beyond, would Hope
Still lead us cheerly on?
In tender mercy drawn;
Oh! could we look beyond, would Hope
Still lead us cheerly on?
Should we behold two living friends,
Long sundered, meet at last
In the far distance? or appalled,
Our shuddering glances cast
Long sundered, meet at last
In the far distance? or appalled,
Our shuddering glances cast
On a dark mound of Paynim mould
Uncrowned by turbaned stone;
Or a green grave of English earth,
As lowly and as lone?
Uncrowned by turbaned stone;
Or a green grave of English earth,
As lowly and as lone?
Oh! likelier that—that English grave;
And one methinks may stand
Hereafter on its sod, and think
“Alas, my native land!
And one methinks may stand
Hereafter on its sod, and think
“Alas, my native land!
“A warmer welcome had been mine
This trying hour to cheer,
Had the poor heart been warm with life
Which darkly moulders here.”
This trying hour to cheer,
Had the poor heart been warm with life
Which darkly moulders here.”
248
Nay, let it fall, that blessed veil
Which shuts the future out;
The earthly future—but beyond,
Away with dread and doubt.
Which shuts the future out;
The earthly future—but beyond,
Away with dread and doubt.
“When shall we meet?” When Time is o'er,
And sorrow past, and pain;
“Where shall we meet?” God grant, in heaven,
Never to part again.
And sorrow past, and pain;
“Where shall we meet?” God grant, in heaven,
Never to part again.
| The Poetical Works of Caroline Bowles Southey | |