To Annette.
O’er what wild abyss of trackless starry spaces,1
Far beyond the farthest orbs of night,2
Where the soul of man in visions wandering3
Finds no home, no resting-place, no haven,4
Whither, darling, hast thou taken flight ?5
Oh ! our own one, oh ! our loved one, oh ! our lost one !6
One poor moment from this bitter “ Now,”7
Hand to hand, and heart to heart we held thee ;—8
One brief moment more, and hands and hearts are empty ;9
Where art thou ?10
From the darkness, from the silence, the remoteness,11
Of the life of earth and sense and sight,12
Lo ! we call upon thee through the fast-closed portals,—13
Call upon thee with old words of longing !14
Child of Light !15
Hear us ! though the veil be thick with shadowy blackness ;16
Though to span the awful gulf the wings of Thought should faint :17
Heaven and Hell, and Life and Death, are all too weak to sunder18
Soul from soul when Love would bridge the distance,—19
Hear, sweet saint !20
Mothers, sisters, brothers, friends, we call thee !21
Earthward once more turn thy footsteps on the starry stair ;22
Whisper peace in midnight dreams and daylight visions,23
Tell us that though Life be fleeting, Love is deathless,24
Here, or There !25