| Higginson and Bigelow, comps. American Sonnets. 1891. | | | | Perpetuity | | By Frank Dempster Sherman (1860–1916) |
| | | I HEARD a sweet voice singing in the night | |
| A tender love-song written years ago, | |
| To ease a poet’s heart of that deep woe | |
| Born of long absence from its dear delight; | |
| And as the music like a bird took flight | 5 |
| Across the shadowed world and vanished so, | |
| I thought of him who wrote it,—did he know | |
| How Time would keep his jewel-lyric bright? | |
| O Poet of to-day, whose heart would sing | |
| Some simple song of love, and sweet words give | 10 |
| To mate the melody that thrills the lute,— | |
| Sing on, nor heed what lips are murmuring | |
| To scorn your art; one perfect song shall live | |
| For love and you long after they are mute! | | | | |
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