Not Understood and Other Poems/Leah
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LEAH.
FREE at last from the gloom that clouded
Life and love in thy sinking day;
Thy brow is veil’d, thy fair limbs shrouded,
Clay is married again to clay.
Life and love in thy sinking day;
Thy brow is veil’d, thy fair limbs shrouded,
Clay is married again to clay.
Free at last from the curse of beauty,
Free at last from the weeds that grow
Round the buds on the path of duty,
Where genius walks; ’tis better so—
Free at last from the weeds that grow
Round the buds on the path of duty,
Where genius walks; ’tis better so—
Better so, when the world grows dreary;
Better so, when young hopes have fled;
Better so, when the heart grows weary—
Better living among the dead.
Better so, when young hopes have fled;
Better so, when the heart grows weary—
Better living among the dead.
Living among the dead—I’ve said it—
Some may rot, and some shall rise
Out of the grave; then who shall dread it?
’Tis but the soulless clod that dies.
Some may rot, and some shall rise
Out of the grave; then who shall dread it?
’Tis but the soulless clod that dies.
Strangers smoothed thy raven tresses
Over thy marble brow, my girl;
Closed thy lips with no fond caresses.
Closed them over the rows of pearl.
Over thy marble brow, my girl;
Closed thy lips with no fond caresses.
Closed them over the rows of pearl.
Strangers seal’d up those orbs whose flashes
Kindled often a quenchless spark;
Seal’d them under their long dark lashes,
Cover’d thy face and then all was dark.
Kindled often a quenchless spark;
Seal’d them under their long dark lashes,
Cover’d thy face and then all was dark.
“Earth to earth!” and the clay was scatter’d,
Scatter’d over thy peaceful breast;
“Dust to dust!” and it little matter’d—
Only a woman had gone to rest.
Scatter’d over thy peaceful breast;
“Dust to dust!” and it little matter’d—
Only a woman had gone to rest.
What knew they of the passions tameless?
They but planted another clod;
“Let her sleep, though she was not blameless.
Give her soul to her Father—God.
They but planted another clod;
“Let her sleep, though she was not blameless.
Give her soul to her Father—God.
“He is merciful, good and gracious;
He can raise up the weak and low;
In the halls of His mansion spacious
Scarlet sins are made white as snow.”
He can raise up the weak and low;
In the halls of His mansion spacious
Scarlet sins are made white as snow.”
Softly spoken the words, and kindly—
Freezing natures that have not known
Scorching rays can but measure blindly
Any heat that is not their own.
Freezing natures that have not known
Scorching rays can but measure blindly
Any heat that is not their own.
Night steals on, and the leaflets tremble
Up on the boughs of tall dark trees;
Night steals on, and the ghosts assemble
Out on the skirts of sighing seas.
Up on the boughs of tall dark trees;
Night steals on, and the ghosts assemble
Out on the skirts of sighing seas.
Night steals on, and the shadows hover
Round the couch of the dying day;
Night steals on, and my song is over,
All its music has died away—
Round the couch of the dying day;
Night steals on, and my song is over,
All its music has died away—
Died away on the waves that sever
Past from present, and shore from shore;
Melting into the great “for ever”—
Gone to her who has gone before.
Past from present, and shore from shore;
Melting into the great “for ever”—
Gone to her who has gone before.