H. D. C.
Born May 18, 1858 ; Died December 18, 1867.
Oh ! whither didst thou travel1
Through the starry vague twilight ?2
A tender unhoused Spirit,3
A Child’s soul, young and white,4
A Dove—o’er pathless waters5
Put forth to fare at night !6
Nor eye nor ear may follow,7
That track each treads alone—8
Into the Life invisible,9
Impalpable, unknown—10
The darkness of the sepulchre—11
The silence of the stone !12
The still small Voice that called thee13
Whispered of Love—not Dread—14
Thy wanderings were with Angels15
That watched around thy bed—16
The radiant Faith of Childhood17
Tis lark-like wings outspread !18
Unspotted sweet Child-maiden,19
Wrapped in thy fair white shroud !20
With God in Death we left thee21
Beyond Life’s busy crowd—22
The striving of the people—23
Their madness fierce and loud.24
Yet in my sight thou liest—25
Over pleasant fields I see26
The place where thou art waiting27
In the grave prepared for me ;28
And I yearn, with strange home-sickness,29
To share that bed with thee !30
Good morrow to thee, Little One !31
So near—so far away—32
When sings the Lark above thee33
In the summer morn I say—34
When the Bees hang drunk with honey35
In the Crown Imperial’s bell,36
And the Butterflies go gadding37
Thro’ haunts thou lov’dst so well.38
Good even to thee, Darling !39
In thy little grave—I say—40
When the narrow shadows lengthen41
Of the Beeches o’er the way.42
I remember thy returning43
With short steps, light and fleet—44
Thro’ the yellow Crowcups coming45
With their gold-dust on thy feet—46
O’er the speckled Orchis treading—47
Thro’ the balmy Meadowsweet.48
When the tepid South-wind whispers,49
And the Harvest-moon is bright,50
I lean out, o’er the Clematis,51
To bid thee, Child—good night !52
While empty in the moonshine53
Thy bed lies cold and white.54
Thine Angel often heard thee55
And saw thee kneeling there,56
In sleepy reverence faltering57
Thy well-conned evening prayer,58
While my hand lay warmly nestling59
In the tangle of thy hair.60
When the Hoarfrost strews with ashes61
The still and ice-bound earth,—62
When storms thro’ the starry Heaven63
The North-wind’s ravening mirth—64
Ah ! then ’tis hard to leave thee—65
Without—beneath the snow !66
When the Christmas Tree is lighted,67
And the rooms are all aglow.68
When thy little Twin-born Sister69
With gift and smile goes round,70
Of thy companion figure71
No shadow falls—no sound—72
Swells not the childish carol,73
Thy young voice true and sweet ;74
And bound no more for ever75
O’er th’ oaken floor thy feet !76
But I still see thee sitting,77
Child ! in thy wonted place—78
With the opal Lamplight shining79
Down on thy soft clear face.80
All beautiful with pleasure,81
Thy blush that came and fled,82
As a sunset haunts my memory,83
The glow of a cheek long dead.84
The wasting years are washing,85
With each recurrent wave,86
Away thy tiny footprints,87
A-low thy small green Grave.88
My Child ! mine unforgotten !89
The Love within my heart90
Goes aching forth to seek thee,91
Whate’er—where’er thou art.92
A Tryst wilt thou be keeping,93
Beyond Life’s Bridge of Sighs,94
When the dim gates of Hades95
For me, in silence, rise ?96
When the grim craft dully grazes97
The unknown shore, wilt thou98
With small pale hand outreaching99
Lean o’er the shadowy prow,100
And fold, and wrap me to thee,101
Thy cheek against my brow ?102
But an agony comes o’er me103
Of Hope, and Fear, and Love,—104
I ask the Earth beneath me—105
I ery to Heaven above :106
“ Lives she ? and shall I see her107
Again in Heaven or Earth ?108
I, that have borne, and wore her,109
And travailed at her birth !110
Lives she within the universe111
As Angel, Ghost, or Shade ?112
In the air that vibrates round us—113
In the skies with worlds inlaid ?114
Lives she ? and shall I know her115
Again ? O Christ ! once more—116
Will He who took restore her,117
With the sweet child’s face she wore ?118
In the joy and charm of childhood119
To the Hearts she won of yore ?120
Or—shall I meet a Being,121
Wise, awful, and mature ?122
All glorious among Angels ?123
All passionless and pure ?124
Hath she the loving memory125
Of this brief life outgrown ?126
Is she, to better parents,127
Born in a happier zone ?128
Calls she another— ‘ Mother ’ ?129
She ! that was all mine own ?”130
We grope the air around us,131
To feel a Presence near—132
We listen for lost voices133
With ears that yearn to hear ;134
Our sad eyes search the shadows135
For outlines vague but dear—136
Oh ! for a sign, a syllable,137
A token, gleam, or sound,138
To break Death’s stony silence,139
To light Death’s rigid bound,140
To flash on Hope the certainty141
That Life in Death is found !142
One Fear with Faith is warring,143
One Dread haunts all Mankind ;144
Clothed in their own Identity,145
Of Memory, Thought, and Mind,146
Our Dead—not changed, but perfected,147
Our Lost Ones—shall we find ?148
We, who lived in and for them—149
We, whom they left behind ?150
The grieving Heart grown weary151
Pines in unanswered Prayer—152
Fainting—but not unholy—153
Crushed by the doom we bear.154
Oh ! give us Grace, sweet Saviour,155
To cast on Thee our care ;156
Oh ! keep us, and sustain us,157
That we fail not in Despair !158