The Secret Mourner

I.

They bore him on to his grave in the heart of the busy
town ;1

And with furtive footsteps following, I watched them lay
him down :2

The mourners, many and sad—though they wept there
one and all,3

The tears that fell were as naught to mine, that could
not fall,4

We loved each other dearly, in a day that is distant now ;5

But something got to his ear, and he suddenly changed
somehow—6

A something got to his ear—I never could gather what—7

And he kept away from thence, and his love for me was
not.8

I hid my grief in my heart, and bore it as best I might ;9

There was never darkness yet but had some relieving
light ;10

And I found a balm in the thought, that although his
love was gone,11

I could follow him secretly, and in secret still love on.12

And this I’ve done through the years that have come
and gone since then13

(So far the love of women surpasses the love of men) ;14

I’ve hung on his track to the last, for I only ceased
to-day,15

As from his grave in the town I turned in my woe away.16

Earth now looks lone in mine eyes, yet I am not all cast
down ;17

I have firm faith that at last I shall somewhere grasp
Love’s crown ;18

That when the end shall have come, whatever is good
and true19

Will receive its just reward, and a love like mine its
due.20