Poems (Denver)/I Miss thy light Step, Dearest

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
4523980Poems — I Miss thy light Step, DearestMary Caroline Denver

I MISS THY LIGHT STEP, DEAREST.
I miss thy light step, dearest, I miss thy beaming brow,
I miss the music of thy voice, for thou art silent now;
The step is still, the brow is cold, the voice no longer heard,
Whose echoes fell upon my ear like songs of woodland bird!

The willow leans above thee to wonder and to weep,
The violet droops above thy grave, but cannot break thy sleep.
The wild rose sheds her leaves around, the zephyrs wander near,
They fall upon a sightless eye and on a dreamless ear!

O! how the solemn twilight brings back the thought of thee,
Thy sunlight of the brow and smile I loved so well to see!
The spirit-presence like a spell floats on the charmed air,
To fill my soul with melody, to fill my heart with prayer.

The world without thee, dearest! is desolate to me,
Thy memory the only star upon a midnight sea;
The fragrance of a dying flower, hope of a broken heart,
The last song of a captive bird;—such, such to me thou art!