I. A trinket made like a Heart, dear,Of red gold, bright and fine,Was given to me for a keepsake,Given to me for mine. And another heart, warm and tender,As true as a heart could be;And every throb that stirred itWas always and all for me. Sailing over the waters,Watching the far blue land,I dropped my […]

Deep within my heart of hearts, dear,Bound with all its strings,Two Loves are together reigningBoth are crowned like Kings;While my life, still uncomplaining,Rests beneath their wings. So they both will rule my heart, dear,Till it cease to beat;No sway can be deeper, stronger,Truer, more complete;Growing, as it lasts the longer,Sweeter, and more sweet. One all […]

“Linger,” I cried, “oh radiant Time! thy powerHas nothing more to give; life is complete:Let but the perfect Present, hour by hour,Itself remember and itself repeat. “And Love,–the future can but mar its splendour,Change can but dim the glory of its youth;Time has no star more faithful or more tender,To crown its constancy or light […]

Not a sound is heard in the Convent;The Vesper Chant is sung,The sick have all been tended,The poor nun’s toils are endedTill the Matin bell has rung.All is still, save the Clock, that is tickingSo loud in the frosty air,And the soft snow, falling as gentlyAs an answer to a prayer.But an Angel whispers, “Oh, […]

The shadows of the evening hoursFall from the darkening sky;Upon the fragrance of the flowersThe dews of evening lie:Before Thy throne, O Lord of Heaven,We kneel at close of day;Look on Thy children from on high,And hear us while we pray. The sorrows of Thy Servants, Lord,Oh, do not Thou despise;But let the incense of […]

In the outer Court I was singing,Was singing the whole day long;From the inner chamber were ringingEchoes repeating my song. And I sang till it grew immortal;For that very song of mine,When re-echoed behind the Portal,Was filled with a life divine. Was the Chamber a silver roundOf arches, whose magical artDrew in coils of musical […]

FOUNDED ON AN OLD FRENCH LEGEND The fettered Spirits lingerIn purgatorial pain,With penal fires effacingTheir last faint earthly stain,Which Life’s imperfect sorrowHad tried to cleanse in vain. Yet on each feast of MaryTheir sorrow finds release,For the Great Archangel MichaelComes down and bids it cease;And the name of these brief respitesIs called “Our Lady’s Peace.” […]

Can you open that ebony Casket?Look, this is the key: but stay,Those are only a few old lettersWhich I keep,–to burn some day. Yes, that Locket is quaint and ancient;But leave it, dear, with the ring,And give me the little PortraitWhich hangs by a crimson string. I have never opened that CasketSince, many long years […]

The stars are gleaming;The maiden sleeps–What is she dreaming?For see–she weeps.By her side is an AngelWith folded wings;While the Maiden slumbersThe Angel sings:He sings of a Bridal,Of Love, of Pain,Of a heart to be given,–And all in vain;(See, her cheek is flushing,As if with pain;)He telleth of sorrow,Regrets and fears,And the few vain pleasuresWe buy […]

While the grey mists of early dawnWere lingering round the hill,And the dew was still upon the flowers,And the earth lay calm and still,A winged Spirit came to meNoble, and radiant, and free. Folding his blue and shining wings,He laid his hand on mine.I know not if I felt, or heardThe mystic word divine,Which woke […]

Nothing is our own: we hold our pleasuresJust a little while, ere they are fled:One by one life robs us of our treasures;Nothing is our own except our Dead. They are ours, and hold in faithful keepingSafe for ever, all they took away.Cruel life can never stir that sleeping,Cruel time can never seize that prey. […]

Nothing stirs the sunny silence,–Save the drowsy humming of the beesRound the rich, ripe peaches on the wall,And the south wind sighing in the trees,And the dead leaves rustling as they fall:While the swallows, one by one, are gathering,All impatient to be on the wing,And to wander from us, seekingTheir beloved Spring! Cloudless rise the […]

I. I. Yes, it looked dark and dreary,That long and narrow street:Only the sound of the rain,And the tramp of passing feet,The duller glow of the fire,And gathering mists of nightTo mark how slow and wearyThe long day’s cheerless flight! II. Watching the sullen fire,Hearing the dismal rain,Drop after drop, run downOn the darkening window-pane:Chill […]

If in the fight my arm was strong,And forced my foes to yield,If conquering and unhurt I cameBack from the battle-field–It is because thy prayers have beenMy safeguard and my shield. My comrades smile to see my armSpare or protect a foe,They think thy gentle pleading voiceWas silenced long ago;But pity and compassion, love,Were taught […]

I. Will she come to me, little Effie,Will she come in my arms to rest,And nestle her head on my shoulder,While the sun goes down in the west? II. “I and Effie will sit together,All alone, in this great arm-chair:-Is it silly to mind it, darling,When Life is so hard to bear? III. “No one […]

There are more things in Heaven and Earth, than weCan dream of, or than nature understands;We learn not through our poor philosophyWhat hidden chords are touched by unseen hands. The present hour repeats upon its stringsEchoes of some vague dream we have forgot;Dim voices whisper half-remembered things,And when we pause to listen,–answer not. Forebodings come: […]

Where the little babbling streamletFirst springs forth to light,Trickling through soft velvet mosses,Almost hid from sight;Vowed I with delight,–“River, I will follow thee,Through thy wanderings to the Sea!” Gleaming ‘mid the purple heather,Downward then it sped,Glancing through the mountain gorges,Like a silver thread,As it quicker fled,Louder music in its flow,Dashing to the Vale below. Then […]

I think if thou couldst know,Oh soul that will complain,What lies concealed belowOur burden and our pain;How just our anguish bringsNearer those longed-for thingsWe seek for now in vain,–I think thou wouldst rejoice, and not complain. I think if thou couldst see,With thy dim mortal sight,How meanings, dark to thee,Are shadows hiding light;Truth’s efforts crossed […]

I. FROM “LAVATER.” Trust him little who doth raiseTo one height both great and small,And sets the sacred crown of praise,Smiling, on the head of all. Trust him less who looks aroundTo censure all with scornful eyes,And in everything has foundSomething that he dare despise. But for one who stands apart,Stirred by nought that can […]

Thou hast done well to kneel and say,“Since He who gave can take away,And bid me suffer, I obey.” And also well to tell thy heartThat good lies in the bitterest part,And thou wilt profit by her smart. But bitter hours come to all:When even truths like these will pall,Sick hearts for humbler comfort call. […]