Poems (Griffith)/Look and List, Love

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4456167Poems — Look and List, LoveMattie Griffith
Look and List, Love.
LIST, love, oh listen as the breeze
Goes softly floating by,
And to thine ear 'twill sweetly breathe
My young hearths tenderest sigh;
And if that breeze hath passed o'er crushed
And withered flowers, 'twill tell,
In saddened cadence, of the griefs
That in my bosom dwell.
          List, love.

List to the music of the stream,
The far-off waterfall,
And in its low tones thou wilt hear
My spirit's earnest call
To thine, to meet me at the soft
And blessed twilight hour,
Where we so oft have loved to meet
In our own wildwood bower.
          List, love.

Look on the glorious hues that wave
Along the sunset sky,
Like heavenly banners o'er the hosts
Of angels trooping by,
And thou'lt see my spirit there
Soft beckoning unto thine,
To join me in that fairy realm,
And be for ever mine.
          Look, love.

Look on the cloudless heavens that roll
So beautiful and fair,
And think of all our earnest vows
That have their record there.
And see! the priest of Nature now
Seems bending from above,
With his own gentle hand to set
The signet of our love.
          Look, love.

List to the murmurs sweet and wild
That from the ocean swell,
Like the mysterious melodies
Heard in its music-shell;
And they will speak of memories
That in our bosoms sleep,
Unseen and beautiful, like pearls
Within the sea's blue deep.
          List, love.

List to the spirit-minstrelsy
That steals from yon bright stars,
As in their watch of love they float
High on their golden cars;
And they will tell thee that the love
To our young splints given,
Like theirs, shines sweetly on the earth
But has its home in heaven.
          List, love.

Look, at our own dear hour of tryst,
Upon the passion-flower,
I culled and laid upon thy heart
In our own favorite boner;
And if thou lov'st me dearly still,
Thy gentle eye will trace
The blessed story of our loves
Upon its pale, sweet face.
          Look, love.

Oh! look and listen at the calm
And holy midnight hour,
When love's deep charm o'er human souls
Hath strong and mystic power;
And thou wilt see my spirit stand
Beside thee where thou art,
And hear it breathe love's burning words
Into thine ear and heart.
          Look and list, love.

Louisville, Ky., 1852.