Mary Mapes Dodge. 1831-1905. John Bartlett, comp. 1919. Familiar Quotations, 10th ed.

John Bartlett (1820–1905). Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. 1919.

Mary Mapes Dodge. (1831–1905)

Whenever a snowflake leaves the sky,
It turns and turns to say “Good-by!
Good-by, dear clouds, so cool and gray!”
Then lightly travels on its way.

Snowflakes.

But when a snowflake, brave and meek,
Lights on a rosy maiden’s cheek,
It starts—“How warm and soft the day!”
“’T is summer!” and it melts away.

Snowflakes.

Life is a mystery as deep as ever death can be;
Yet oh, how dear it is to us, this life we live and see!

The two Mysteries.

But I believe that God is overhead
And as life is to the living, so death is to the dead.

The two Mysteries.