Poems (Trask)/Brother and Sister

by Clara Augusta Jones Trask

BROTHER AND SISTER.

He sat on the lofty highlands,
 Or climbed to the eagle's nest;
Wore the mountain rose in his helmet,
 The chamois skin on his breast;
He laughed at the vivid lightning,
 Shrank not at the thunder's roar;
And his dark eye flashed when the wild sea-waves
 Burst on the frightened shore.

She was a meek-eyed woman;
 She lingered in lowly vales,
And gathered the dew-wet daisies
 That grew in the sunny dales;
She trembled when raged the tempest,
 And paled at the angry sea;
For her soul was attuned to the low, soft strains
 Of Love's sweet melody.

He fought for the love of conquest,
 Was first in the battle's brunt;
He bore down the mail-clad warriors,
 Like deer in the forest hunt;
And they crowned his brow with laurel,
 Thundered his fame to the world,
And wrote his name, in letters of fire,
 On the flag his valor unfurled.

Her life was a calm, flowing river,
 Going ever pleasantly on;
Her world was the cottage, and meadow,
 Walled in by the blue horizon;
She soothed every heart that was weary,
 And kissed off the tears of the sad,—
Oh, many a spirit that good woman made
 Rise up from grief and be glad.

He died, as dieth the hero,
 Unflinching, fearless, and brave!
Defying the waiting death-angel,
 Defying the deep hungry grave!
She died, as the soft summer sunset
 Goes out o'er the hills of the west,
Put her hands in the hands of her Saviour,
 And leaned her head on His breast.

Oh, who, in the time that approacheth,
 Shall mete out to each the reward?
Which one has done best with the talents
 Vouchsafed by the hand of the Lord?
Will he wear the crown of the conqueror?
 Will her brow be bound with joy's glow?
Will he, or she, gain the true happiness?
 Ah! who that is mortal may know?