None smile and none are crowned where lieth she,
With all her visions unfulfilled save one,
Her childhood's, of the palm-trees in the sun--
And lo!
With all her visions unfulfilled save one,
Her childhood's, of the palm-trees in the sun--
And lo!
Elizabeth Browning
"
But,--"Think ye of me, friends, as I of you? "
V.
Hers was the hand that played for many a year
Love's silver phrase for England, smooth and well.
Would God her heart's more inward oracle
In that lone moment might confirm her dear!
For when her questioned friends in agony
Made passionate response, "We think of thee,"
Her place was in the dust, too deep to hear.
VI.
Could she not wait to catch their answering breath?
Was she content, content with ocean's sound
Which dashed its mocking infinite around
One thirsty for a little love? --beneath
Those stars content, where last her song had gone,--
They mute and cold in radiant life, as soon
Their singer was to be, in darksome death? [8]
VII.
Bring your vain answers--cry, "We think of thee! "
How think ye of her? warm in long ago
Delights? or crowned with budding bays? Not so.
None smile and none are crowned where lieth she,
With all her visions unfulfilled save one,
Her childhood's, of the palm-trees in the sun--
And lo! their shadow on her sepulchre!
VIII.
"Do ye think of me as I think of you? "--
O friends, O kindred, O dear brotherhood
Of all the world! what are we that we should
For covenants of long affection sue?
Why press so near each other when the touch
Is barred by graves? Not much, and yet too much
Is this "Think of me as I think of you. "
IX.
But while on mortal lips I shape anew
A sigh to mortal issues, verily
Above the unshaken stars that see us die,
A vocal pathos rolls; and HE who drew
All life from dust, and for all tasted death,
By death and life and love appealing, saith
_Do you think of me as I think of you? _
FOOTNOTES:
[8] Her lyric on the Polar Star came home with her latest papers.
END OF THE SECOND VOLUME.
PRINTED BY
SPOTTISWOODE AND CO. , NEW-STREET SQUARE
LONDON
* * * * *
Transcriber's Notes: Archaic and variable spelling and hyphenation are
preserved. Passages in italics indicated by _underscores_. Greek
transliterations indicated by ~tildes~.
But,--"Think ye of me, friends, as I of you? "
V.
Hers was the hand that played for many a year
Love's silver phrase for England, smooth and well.
Would God her heart's more inward oracle
In that lone moment might confirm her dear!
For when her questioned friends in agony
Made passionate response, "We think of thee,"
Her place was in the dust, too deep to hear.
VI.
Could she not wait to catch their answering breath?
Was she content, content with ocean's sound
Which dashed its mocking infinite around
One thirsty for a little love? --beneath
Those stars content, where last her song had gone,--
They mute and cold in radiant life, as soon
Their singer was to be, in darksome death? [8]
VII.
Bring your vain answers--cry, "We think of thee! "
How think ye of her? warm in long ago
Delights? or crowned with budding bays? Not so.
None smile and none are crowned where lieth she,
With all her visions unfulfilled save one,
Her childhood's, of the palm-trees in the sun--
And lo! their shadow on her sepulchre!
VIII.
"Do ye think of me as I think of you? "--
O friends, O kindred, O dear brotherhood
Of all the world! what are we that we should
For covenants of long affection sue?
Why press so near each other when the touch
Is barred by graves? Not much, and yet too much
Is this "Think of me as I think of you. "
IX.
But while on mortal lips I shape anew
A sigh to mortal issues, verily
Above the unshaken stars that see us die,
A vocal pathos rolls; and HE who drew
All life from dust, and for all tasted death,
By death and life and love appealing, saith
_Do you think of me as I think of you? _
FOOTNOTES:
[8] Her lyric on the Polar Star came home with her latest papers.
END OF THE SECOND VOLUME.
PRINTED BY
SPOTTISWOODE AND CO. , NEW-STREET SQUARE
LONDON
* * * * *
Transcriber's Notes: Archaic and variable spelling and hyphenation are
preserved. Passages in italics indicated by _underscores_. Greek
transliterations indicated by ~tildes~.
