The Reliquary By Bernard and Lucy Barton. With A Prefatory Appeal for Poetry and Poets |
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AN AFFECTING AND TOO TRUE INCIDENT. |
 | The Reliquary |  |
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AN AFFECTING AND TOO TRUE INCIDENT.
She died, yet in her Father's heart
Her memory could but live;
For death can stronger love impart
Than life itself can give.
Her memory could but live;
For death can stronger love impart
Than life itself can give.
Therefore with each returning day,
Her silent grave he sought;
And with each visit bore away
Fresh scope for cherish'd thought.
Her silent grave he sought;
And with each visit bore away
Fresh scope for cherish'd thought.
'Twas wrong, perchance, yet who shall call
A mourner's sorrow wrong?
'Twas weak, perhaps, so are we all,
And few in grief are strong.
A mourner's sorrow wrong?
'Twas weak, perhaps, so are we all,
And few in grief are strong.
And who by reason's law shall bound
A father's deep distress?
Or who, that hath not felt such wound,
Can tell its bitterness?
A father's deep distress?
Or who, that hath not felt such wound,
Can tell its bitterness?
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Once more he went:—alas! once more,
Affection's tears to shed;
There, when they found him, all was o'er,
And life and grief had fled!
Affection's tears to shed;
There, when they found him, all was o'er,
And life and grief had fled!
Oh! judge not harshly; wisdom's part
Is others' woes to feel;
Who can make whole a broken heart?
Or wounded spirit heal?
Is others' woes to feel;
Who can make whole a broken heart?
Or wounded spirit heal?
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