Memory-Bells
by
Up from the spirit-depths ringing,
Softly your melody swells,
Sweet as a seraphim’s singing,
Tender-toned memory-bells!
The laughter of childhood,
The song of the wildwood,
The tinkle of streams through the echoing dell,
The voice of a mother,
The shout of a brother.
Up from life’s morning melodiously swell.
Up from the spirit-depths ringing
Richly your melody swells,
Sweet reminiscences bringing,
Joyous-toned memory-bells!–
Youth’s beautiful bowers,
Her dew-spangled flowers,
The pictures which Hope of futurity drew,–
Love’s rapturous vision
Of regions Elysian,
In glowing perspective unfolding to view.
Up from the spirit-depths ringing,
Sadly your melody swells,
Tears with its mournful tones bringing,
Sorrowful memory-bells!
The first heart-link broken,
The first farewell spoken,
The first flow’ret crushed in life’s desolate track,–
The agonized yearning
O’er joys unreturning,
All, all with your low, wailing music come back.
Up from the spirit-depths ringing.
Dirge-like your melody swells;
But Hope wipes the tears that are springing,
Mournful-toned memory-bells!
Above your deep knelling
Her soft voice is swelling,
Sweeter than angel-tones, silvery clear,
Singing:–in Heaven above,
All is unchanging love,
Mourner, look upward, thy home is not here!