Poems (Barker)/Woodland Fancies

by Alice J. Green Barker

Woodland Fancies.

I wandered off' 'mong the fields to-day
 And the trees so golden brown,
To watch the fluttering, flying leaves
 And the walnuts tumbling down.
I wanted to dream awhile, sweet friend,
 And to wave a garland bright,
From the fancy flowers that fill my heart,
 To place on your brow to-night.

For twenty summers have quickly flown,
 In peace o'er your happy head;
No longer a careless, merry girl,
 But a woman, "Sweet May," instead,
O! it seems so strange that as children now
 Together we ne're shall roam:
That another hath called my sunny friend
 Away from her childhood's home.

O! it seems so strange that the happy past.
 Has vanished for e'er and aye:
That my little mate has in truth become
 A woman in one short day!
They will miss you in the household now,
 At the sunny hour of noon:
There'll be something beautiful gone from life,
 Like the roses out of June.

And at morn and even with saddened hearts
 They'll offer an earnest prayer,
But one bright link in the chain of love
 Will never again be there.
As I look at the years which our careless feet
 Together have roamed away
When we lovingly bent o'er the self-same book,
 Or bounded away in play.

I can scarce believe that these golden leaves
 And the beautiful woods so bright,
Are heralding in your twentieth year,
 And, dear friend, your wedding night!
But the gentle angels will surely bend,
 In blessing above your head;
They come so near to this earth of ours,
 That we almost hear their tread.

And ever while toiling up life's steep hill,
 Through its sunshine or its rain,
May the heart you have chosen be firm and strong
 To bear all its grief and pain!
And in helping each other go on dear friends
 To the river so still and dread,
Unheeding the sneers of a pity less world,
 Be ever by charity led.

And while you are bearing each burden and cross,
 0! keep your heart pure and as sweet
As when we wandered so far away,
 With the dust on our tired feet:
And sinking down 'mong the golden leaves,
 To rest from our busy play,
We watched the silent shadows come,
 While the sunshine died away.

O! keep the heart of a trusting child,
 And together go, hand in hand!
Remember that half the clouds we meet
 We beckon from shadow land.
And Heaven's blessing go with you both
 To the close of this earthly life!
May its richest blessing crown the hour
 That made you "man and wife!"

And tell me, how could I help but dream
 From the fancies that seem so bright,
And wave a garland of flowers to place
 On the brow of my friend to-night?
So I wandered off 'mong the fields to-day,
 And the woods so golden brown;
To watch the fluttering, flying leaves,
 And the walnuts tumbling down.