SEE'ST thou yon gray, gleaming hall, Where the deep elm-shadows fall? Voices that have left the earth Long ago, Still are murmuring round its hearth, Soft and low: Ever there; -- yet one alone Hath the gift to hear their tone. Guests come thither, and depart, Free of step, and light of heart; Children, with sweet visions blessed, In the haunted chambers rest; One alone unslumbering lies When the night hath sealed all eyes, One quick heart and watchful ear, Listening for those whispers clear. See'st thou where the woodbine-flowers O'er yon low porch hang in showers? Startling faces of the dead, Pale, yet sweet, One lone woman's entering tread There still meet! Some with young, smooth foreheads fair, Faintly shining through bright hair; Some with reverend locks of snow -- All, all buried long ago! All, from under deep sea-waves, Or the flowers of foreign graves, Or the old and bannered aisle, Where their high tombs gleam the while; Rising, wandering, floating by, Suddenly and silently, Through their earthly home and place, But amidst another race. Wherefore, unto one alone, Are those sounds and visions known? Wherefore hath that spell of power, Dark and dread, On @3her@1 soul, a baleful dower, Thus been shed? Oh! in those deep-seeing eyes, No strange gift of mystery lies! She is lone where once she moved Fair, and happy, and beloved! Sunny smiles were glancing round her, Tendrils of kind hearts had bound her. Now those silver chords are broken, Those bright looks have left no token -- Not one trace on all the earth, Save her memory of their mirth. She is lone and lingering now, Dreams have gathered o'er her brow, Midst gay songs and children's play, She is dwelling far away, Seeing what none else may see -- Haunted still her place must be! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE POOR-HOUSE by SARA TEASDALE GOD'S GARDEN by RICHARD EUGENE BURTON THE FIRESIDE by NATHANIEL COTTON YOU ON THE TOWER by THOMAS HARDY LAUS VENERIS (A PICTURE BY BURNE-JONES) by LOUISE CHANDLER MOULTON STOOD AT CLEAR by ALEXANDER ANDERSON A HEART-HAUNTED HOME by JANE BARLOW TO A LADY WHO HAD LOST A RELATIVE by JOHN GARDINER CALKINS BRAINARD RECOLLECTIONS OF SOLITUDE; AN ELEGY by ROBERT SEYMOUR BRIDGES |