'T IS o'er,—in that long sigh she past— Th' enfranchised spirit soars at last! And now I gaze with tearless eye On what to view was agony. That panting heart is tranquil now, And heavenly calm that ruffled brow, And those pale lips which feebly strove To force one parting smile of love, Retain it yet,—soft, placid, mild, As when it graced my living child. O, I have watched with fondest care To see my opening flow'ret blow, And felt the joy which parents share, The pride which fathers only know. And I have sat the long, long night, And marked that tender flower decay; Not torn abruptly from the sight, But slowly, sadly, waste away! The spoiler came, yet paused, as though So meek a victim checked his arm, Half gave and half withheld the blow, As forced to strike, yet loath to harm. We saw that fair cheek's fading bloom The ceaseless canker-worm consume, And gazed on hopelessly, Till the mute suffering pictured there Wrung from the father's lip a prayer, O God! the prayer his child might die. Ay, from his lip—the doting heart E'en then refused to bear its part. But the sad conflict's past,—'t is o'er; That gentle bosom throbs no more! The spirit's freed,—through realms of light Faith's eagle-glance pursues her flight To other worlds, to happier skies; Hope dries the tear which sorrow weepeth, No mortal sound, the voice which cries, "The damsel is not dead, but sleepeth!" | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...ODE [FOR MUSIC] ON ST. CECILIA'S DAY by ALEXANDER POPE THE BANISHED LOVER by ABD AL-RAHMAN AL-MUSTAZHIR THE FIGHT WITH THE SNAPPING TURTLE; OR, THE AMERICAN ST. GEORGE by WILLIAM EDMONSTOUNE AYTOUN A THOUGHT FOR MOTHER'S DAY by MAMIE COLLINS BARRY LETTER TO B.W. PROCTOR, ESQ., FROM OXFORD; MAY, 1825 by THOMAS LOVELL BEDDOES REUNION IN WAR by EDMUND CHARLES BLUNDEN SPRING NIGHT by EDMUND CHARLES BLUNDEN |