Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, GOOD-BYE, by CARROLL RYAN


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

GOOD-BYE, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Good-bye:-' the whisper softly fell
Last Line: "for evermore—""good-bye."
Alternate Author Name(s): Ryan, William Thomas Carroll
Subject(s): Farewell; Parting


"Good-Bye:—" The whisper softly fell
Through darkness of the night;
It struck upon my soul a knell—
Upon my heart a blight.
While ever as we sped along
The night wind seemed to sigh
And, sadly murmuring, to say
Again to me—"Good-bye;
Good-bye:"
A mocking spirit seemed to say
Again to me—"Good-bye."

Within my chamber, still and lone,
I laid me down and slept,
While fancy of that saddest tone
Strange recollection kept.
Through every wild, distorted dream,
As distant murmurs die,
That low, sad whisper still would seem
To say to me—"Good-bye."
Good-bye:"
That low, sad whisper still would seem
To say to me—"Good-bye."

Next morn before the joyous breeze
My ship had left the shore,
And, like to one who sadly sees
What he may view no more,
I looked upon the fading strand,
Slow lessening to my eye,
When with the wind from off the land
The whisper came—"Good-bye;
Good-bye:"
Borne by the wind from off the land,
The whisper came—"Good-bye."

Then years went by, and often through
The storms of war I passed,
One of the unrecorded few
Whom death refused to blast;
But in the maddest moments, when
Stark horror leaped on high,
That mocking voice would shriek again,
And still again—"Good-bye;
Good-bye:"
That mocking voice would shriek again,
And still again—"Good-bye."

Once more I trod my native land,
Sought each familiar place,
And strove again with loving hand
Lost beauties to retrace;
Until one night upon a grave
I sank and prayed to die,
When from the mould a faint voice gave
To me a last "Good-bye;
Good-bye:"
Silent at last within the grave
For evermore—"Good-bye."





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