A Little Child's Monument/All Saints, and All Souls
Thy birthday is All Saints' Day, my sweet treasure.
Ah! well it may be!
For on us there descended in full measure
All saints in one celestial pleasure,
With thee, dear baby!
For thou wert open, loyal, fearless,
Ah me! forsaken!
Radiant soul in raiment peerless,
A private joy to thee how cheerless,
Until partaken!
It is All Saints' Day; on the morrow,
With flowers offered,
Sons and daughters of dark sorrow
Some faint ray of peace-may borrow
From flowers proffered
On green mounds of the departed,
Meekly saying
To sweet souls of the true-hearted,
"May we not for long be parted,
Here delaying!"
There a friend, a sister, mother,
Fondly kneeling,
Sobs and tears are fain to smother,
Unto the dear sundered other
Self appealing,
"Leave me not alone, O lover!
Child I cherish!"
"May the reign of love be over?
Death is only sent to prove her!
May she perish? "
In warm-breathing blue ethereal
White tapers kindled
Shyly waver, souls aerial,
In allbeholding strength imperial
Of Day dwindled,
Like our lives in the universal
Sun of spirit;
Hark how ocean makes rehearsal
Of a life without reversal
All inherit!
An eternal child, blue Ocean,
Rhythmic breathing
O'er the dead, with grand emotion,
And blue hills with deep devotion
Hearts are wreathing.
We are sure they are not sleeping
Beneath our blossom,
By white marble we may, weeping,
Plant for memory, but keeping
Near our bosom
Life's own vigil o'er us, even
As in dreaming
O'er what seems their sleep, bereaven,
We hold our vigil; they in heaven
Know no seeming!