New Zealand Verse/My Song

by Charles Umbers

CVIII.

My Song.

I bade my love Good-night,
 So loth to part
With her, the deep delight
 Of this true heart,
 My queen of pearls!
 My lily of girls!
And when her light was low,
 And all was still,
Saving that rapturous flow—
 The lone bird’s trill,
    I said:
“Oh, come fair dreams
 To soothe her pretty head;
Float soft as silvery beams
   Now shed!”
Then up where the lattice swung,
 I sent a kiss,
In the heart of a rose there flung,
 And murmured this:
 “Good-night, Sweet!
 Sweet, good-night!
 My heart’s delight,
   Good-night!”

I bade my love Good-morn,
 With joy to feel
Her presence, soft as dawn,
 Within me steal,
 My queen of pearls!
 My lily of girls!
And when she came to me
 On tiny feet,
I vowed there ne’er could be
 A maid so sweet !
   Her hair—
 The golden sun,
Her cheeks—the rose-bloom rare;
 Was ever beauty won
   So fair?
The love-light in her eyes
 Drew forth my kiss;
I clasped her to me—mine! My prize!
 The greeting this:
 “Good-morn, Sweet!
 Sweet, good-morn!
 My heart’s pure dawn,
   Good-morn!”

Charles Umbers