Last Words.
Darling, ’tis all in vain,1
No eager helping of the tender hands2
Can ever knit again the failing strands,3
The slow waves wash in twain.4
Hush, love, no passionate prayer,5
No wistful watching of the weary eyes,6
Can bring noon’s radiance back to winter skies,7
Spring’s glow to autumn’s air.8
My little day is done,9
The weakening pulse, the feeble fluttering heart,10
Have nearly throbbed their last : we two must part11
We two, who were but one !12
I will not say to-day,13
“ Would I had loved you better.” May be so ;14
But all my heart could give it gave, I know.15
The last hours glide away.16
And you—you shall not weep ;17
Tears cannot stay me, and I want to rest18
My living head upon your loving breast.19
Time comes for woe, for sleep.20
You will have time for sorrow21
When the grave closes o’er my head for ever :22
We may not watch the red sun sink, together,23
Perchance, mine own, to-morrow.24
Now while the world goes by,25
While blossoms bloom and fade, fruits form and wither,26
And winter’s ice benumbs the summer river,27
Babes smile and old men die.28
Unheeded and unheeding,29
Let life, and time, and death their records leave ;30
While you and I, on this sweet autumn eve,31
Our life’s last page are reading.32
Talk of the past, my love,33
Of the sweet days while yet you wooed your bride ;34
Of gloaming lingerings at the dim seaside,35
Of walks through glen and grove.36
Tell how the great waves crashed37
In long low thunder music at our feet ;38
How far below our favourite woodland seat39
The bright beck danced and flashed.40
Listen ! I heard a clang,41
Mellow and musical of far-off bells ;42
How softly through the golden air it swells !43
Just so the joy-peal rang.44
From the old tower at home,45
When we two started on life’s path—ah me !46
’Twas well we had no prophet’s eyes to see47
How soon the end would come.48
Hush, hush, dear ! had I known49
Death lurked still closer, think you I had sought50
For turn or stay ? Nay : it is cheaply bought,51
Such year as ours, mine own.52
Look at the pretty bird,53
There mid the fallen rose-leaves—in my dreams,54
When, shy and sweet as April’s earliest gleams,55
Fresh hopes within me stirred ;56
I used to think, we two :57
Would love to show such pretty sights as those,58
A bird, a butterfly, a crimson rose,59
To eyes of baby blue !60
Well, it will soon be past ;61
And you will plant bright flowers upon our earth,62
I, and our wee bud blighted in its birth,63
We gathered violets last.64
Good-night, love. I am tired.65
How the old hill, with all its forests crowned,66
Smiles on the wealth of sweeping uplands round67
By day’s last glory fired !68