Poems (Barker)/Dear Brother Come Back
Dear Brother, Come Back.
To-night while the shadows creep over the earth,
I leave all my friends and their wild careless mirth;
My heart seems to melt, all the coldness has fled
And I mourn for my brother as one that is dead.
Where are you, a stranger, a wanderer to-night;
The same sky above us, the same misty light,
And wearily turning to look down life's track
My sad heart is pleading, dear brother come back.
I leave all my friends and their wild careless mirth;
My heart seems to melt, all the coldness has fled
And I mourn for my brother as one that is dead.
Where are you, a stranger, a wanderer to-night;
The same sky above us, the same misty light,
And wearily turning to look down life's track
My sad heart is pleading, dear brother come back.
Come back and these hands shall caress you once more,
And whisper your name as 'twas whispered of yore;
Come lay your tired head on a loved sister's breast
And say as you once said, 'tis here I find rest.
Oh! sadly you erred, and so deep was the crime,
That you left far behind you your own native clime;
But to-night, though your feet chose a wild reckless track,
My heart sadly pleads, erring brother come back.
And whisper your name as 'twas whispered of yore;
Come lay your tired head on a loved sister's breast
And say as you once said, 'tis here I find rest.
Oh! sadly you erred, and so deep was the crime,
That you left far behind you your own native clime;
But to-night, though your feet chose a wild reckless track,
My heart sadly pleads, erring brother come back.
Again and again did you turn to your God,
And we hoped in the path of true manhood you trod;
But our hopes have been blighted and every bright thing
In your nature seemed blasted and loosing its spring.
The winter too early to storm clouds was given,
And we feared every tie of our love would be riven,
But to-night as I look at the past made so black,
For you, I can murmer, dear wanderer come back.
And we hoped in the path of true manhood you trod;
But our hopes have been blighted and every bright thing
In your nature seemed blasted and loosing its spring.
The winter too early to storm clouds was given,
And we feared every tie of our love would be riven,
But to-night as I look at the past made so black,
For you, I can murmer, dear wanderer come back.
A stranger and lonely, a wanderer and sad,
Oh! who will be near you to whisper, "be glad."
My brother, dear brother, come, come to me now,
And the kiss of forgiveness shall rest on your brow;
My tears are fast falling, the coldness has fled,
All bitterness leaves with these sad tears I shed;
None, none will be near you to point the bright track,
My prayer is, my brother, dear brother come back.
Oh! who will be near you to whisper, "be glad."
My brother, dear brother, come, come to me now,
And the kiss of forgiveness shall rest on your brow;
My tears are fast falling, the coldness has fled,
All bitterness leaves with these sad tears I shed;
None, none will be near you to point the bright track,
My prayer is, my brother, dear brother come back.
When last by your side in the proud flush of youth,
I thought your face lighted by candor and truth,
Then soon came the news, that low leveled our pride,
I thought it were better for you, had you died.
And oh when the shadows creep over us all,
And I think you can never respond to my call,
My eyes are so blind, that I lose life's strange track,
And I'm bitterly sobbing, dear brother come back.
I thought your face lighted by candor and truth,
Then soon came the news, that low leveled our pride,
I thought it were better for you, had you died.
And oh when the shadows creep over us all,
And I think you can never respond to my call,
My eyes are so blind, that I lose life's strange track,
And I'm bitterly sobbing, dear brother come back.