Zoe

I marvel not that Death should woo thee, Sweet!

    For all things loved thee, all hearts owned the sway

    Of thy child-heart, and sunned them in the ray

Of thy bewitching smile, and at thy feet

Cast joyous offerings of allegiance, meet

    For such prevailing loveliness; the play

   Of sunlight in thy laughing eyes made day

For eyes that, saddened, saw thy day’s retreat.

Our many loves besought thee, but in vain;

    The grave, sweet Angel of the inverted torch

    Met thee all blooming at life’s golden porch

And, with a long kiss, won thee smiling fain

Through the fleet shadows of the parting pain,

And our lives’ Life hath passed to gladden Death’s domain!