| |
| COME back and bring my life again | |
| That went with thee beyond my will! | |
| Restore me that which makes me man | |
| Or leaves me wretched, dead and chill! | |
| Thy presence was of life a part; | 5 |
| Thine absence leaves the blank of death. | |
| They wait thy presence—eye and heart, | |
| With straining gaze and bated breath. | |
| |
| The light is darkness, if thine eyes | |
| Make not the medium of its ray; | 10 |
| I see no star in evening skies, | |
| Save thou look up and point the way. | |
| Nor bursting buds in May’s young bloom, | |
| Nor sunshine rippling o’er the sea, | |
| Bears up to heaven my heart’s perfume | 15 |
| Save thou my monitor can be. | |
| |
| There are two paths for human feet,— | |
| One bordered by a duty plain, | |
| And one by phantoms cursed, yet sweet, | |
| Bewildering heart and maddening brain; | 20 |
| The one will right and reason urge, | |
| But thou must walk beside me there, | |
| Or else I tread the dizzy verge, | |
| And thou some guilt of loss must bear. | |
| |
| Come back, there is no cause on earth,— | 25 |
| No word of shame, no deed of wrong— | |
| Can bury all of truth and worth, | |
| And sunder bonds once firm and strong. | |
| There is no duty, heaven-imposed, | |
| That, velvet-gloved—an iron band. | 30 |
| Upon my heart-strings crushed and closed— | |
| Thy hate should all my love withstand. | |
| |
| Days seem like ages—and, ere long, | |
| On senseless ears the cry may fall; | |
| Or, stilled by bitter shame and wrong, | 35 |
| The pleading voice may cease to call. | |
| Come back! before the eyes grow dim | |
| That keep but sight to see thee come, | |
| Ere fail and falter hand and limb, | |
| Whose strength but waits to fold thee home. | 40 |
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