An Evening Voice.
O’er mellow wood and mournful stream1
The shades of evening poise and fall,2
The distant echoes dimly call,3
Like voices in a dream.4
The spirit of the dying day5
Stirs with soft wave the gleamy grass ;6
Each flow’ret hears the spirit pass,7
And what its whispers say :8
“ Take, darlings, take my farewell kiss ;9
Another happy day will shine,10
With morning smile as bright as mine,—11
With evening hush’d as this.12
“ But will it make you fade more fast,13
Or pale your bloom, or dim your glow,14
To feel that one who loved you so15
Is buried in the past ?”16
The sun sinks down beneath the hill.17
From peak to peak, from bole to bole,18
Dies out the golden aurëole,19
And night comes grey and chill—20
Beckoning the gentle spirit on,21
The plaintive spirit, doom’d to die :22
Heedless the drowsy flow’rets lie23
Of the sweet presence gone.24
O, fond hearts lost with passing pain !25
O, slighted smiles that once were ours !26
O, loved, that in out happiest hours,27
May never share again !28