Lines

They laid him in the Earth—a child
     Of summers four—and o’er his grave
A single mourner bent. A wild,
Soft strain of music stole along
So sadly sweet, it seemed the song
     Of Peri from her cave—
A requiem—in sorrow sung
By the meek voices of the young—
For budding beauty, ere its bloom
Laid darkly in the gelid tomb!

The mother wept. Her shining tears
     Plashed lightly on the coffin’s lid:
Her thoughts went back to other years,
When, tinted by the touch of hope,
And viewed through Fancy’s telescope,—
     Life’s coming sorrows hid—
The Present seemed a radiant spot
By Sin and Sorrow darkened not:
The Future, brighter in its bliss,
An everlasting Oasis!

She mused upon the time, when he
     The father of her fair-haired boy,
Knelt in his heart’s idolatry
And craved her love, already given,
And called her eye his spirit’s heaven,
     Her smile his perfect joy—
In youthful trust she yielded all,
And freely at Affection’s call
Left brother, sister, parents, home,
Pilgrim for Love!—o’er earth to roam!

Her tears were dried—but quivering lip,
     And cheek blanched deathly white, revealed
Her spirit’s awful fellowship
With Wo, and Anguish, and Despair,
Consuming and relentless Care—
     And wounds which time had healed
Were fresh again, as Memory brought
That mournful moment to her thought,
When, all bereft, she bowed her head
In anguish o’er the worshipped dead!

Months passed away—a child was given—
     The offspring of a buried sire—
Oh, precious gift!—In thanks to Heaven
Her heart went up—one ray had come
To light again her darkened home
     Ere Hope should quite expire!
Her widowed spirit’s worshipped one
Was imaged in her darling son,
And prayed she then for power to save
That loved and only from the grave!

That prayer was vain! The briery sod
    Is broken in a stranger-land—
The childless widow looks to God,
And bendeth meekly ‘neath the blow
Which lays her hopes for ever low—
     It is her Father’s hand!
And did that heart so sorely tried
Break in its loneliness and pride?
No—for a balm was o’er it poured,
The loving-kindness of the Lord!