| |
| I SAW her in life’s morning bloom, | |
| In youth and beauty brightly gay, | |
| And little thought the savage tomb | |
| So soon would steal her charms away: | |
| I saw her when her eye was bright | 5 |
| As the blue vestment of the sky, | |
| And little thought the fearful night | |
| Of the death angel was so nigh! | |
| |
| And it was mine to see her fade, | |
| To see her wither day by day; | 10 |
| And it was mine to see her laid | |
| Beneath the cold, repulsive clay; | |
| And then the sad funereal bell | |
| Bore the death music to my ear— | |
| ’T was hope’s and love’s expiring knell. | 15 |
| Yet I was left to linger here. | |
| |
| It little boots my spirit now, | |
| To think that she was fair and kind; | |
| White were the lilies on her brow, | |
| And stainless was her gentle mind. | 20 |
| Her’s was the holy, heavenly love, | |
| Which beacons life’s beclouded way, | |
| Such as the seraphs feel above, | |
| Where heaven’s eternal sunbeams play. | |
| |
| She moved along in loveliness, | 25 |
| As woman moved at Eden’s birth, | |
| And seem’d an angel sent to bless | |
| The weary wilderness of earth. | |
| Too soon the earth received her form: | |
| Nor worth, nor innocence could save | 30 |
| Her bosom from the earthy worm— | |
| Her bonny blossoms from the grave! | |
| |
| And many sorrow’d o’er her lot, | |
| And many wept beside her bier— | |
| By heaven!—too soon she was forgot, | 35 |
| And time full early chased the tear; | |
| Yes! ere the grass began to spread | |
| Its verdure o’er her, fresh and green, | |
| Her memory from their breasts had fled, | |
| As if the loved one ne’er had been! | 40 |
| |
| Yet there was one that loved her well, | |
| On whom her trusting heart relied, | |
| Whose soul clung fondly to her spell, | |
| Nor cared for all the world beside: | |
| And on his heart the seal is set; | 45 |
| That image dwells for ever more, | |
| To cherish still its fond regret, | |
| Till life’s last agony is o’er. | |
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