Answered
So hath He kept thee! And, lest earth should dim
Or mar the virgin brightness of thy soul,
Turning it backward from its heavenly goal,
He early summoned thee to dwell with Him,
Where thou canst hear, from harps of seraphim,
The hallelujahs that thou lovedst when sung
In earth's dull dialect by human tongue,
And angel anthems, whose divine notes swim
On heaven's serener air! Our full hearts swell
With grief too bitter for our words to tell;
And yet, amid our sobs, we would not dare
Arraign His goodness who recalled to heaven
The treasure lent — alas ! we deemed it given!
In love He hears, in wisdom answers prayer.
- Title
- Answered
- First Line
- So hath He kept thee! And, lest earth should dim
- Creator
-
William Henry Burleigh
- Bibliographic Citation
- Burleigh, William Henry, and Celia Burleigh. Poems by William H. Burleigh. With a Sketch of his Life by Celia Burleigh. New York: Hurd and Houghton, 1871, 58.
- Date
- 1871
- Period
- Late
- Subject
- Memorial
- Death
- Religion
- Sonnet
- Comments
- Subtitle is a two line uncredited quote: "and day by day we ask of God, dear child,/That He who gave may keep thee undefiled!"
- Rating
- ★★★
- Media
-
Answered