Poems (Blagden)/Orphanhood

by Isa Blagden

ORPHANHOOD.

The shadow of the forest trees—
 My childhood withered 'neath their spell,
 In the old home remembered well,
       Shadowed by forest trees.

The shadow of the forest trees
 Between me and the black sky spread,
 As I lay waking on my bed,
       Shadowed by forest trees.

The shadow of the forest trees—
 I wept and struggled for the light,
 But all around was black as night,
       Shadowed by forest trees.

The shadow of the forest trees
 Robbed us of life's enchanting plays;
 Both heart and stream were dark always,
       Shadowed by forest trees.

The shadow of the forest trees—
 We heard of love and of the sun,
 But in our gloomy world were none,
       Shadowed by forest trees.

The shadow of the forest trees—
 One morn they quivered in the blast,
 Wild moaned the storm, and broke at last
       The shadow of the trees.

The shadow of the forest trees—
 'Mid tossing branches struggling through,
 I hailed a sky of happy blue
       Unshadowed by the trees.

The shadow of the forest trees
 No longer hushed the streamlet's song,
 In fierce wild mirth it sped along,
       Unshadowed by the trees.

The shadow of the forest trees
 Clouded no more my heaven above;
 My heart awoke to raptured love,
       Unshadowed by the trees.

Alas! alas! the forest trees—
 Once more the time grew dark and still,
 Murmured no more the poor lone rill,
       Shadowed by forest trees.

Alas! alas! the forest trees—
 Again they closed around my head,
 And love and hope and joy were dead,
       Shadowed by forest trees.

Alas! alas! the forest trees—
 The wind that woke the stream is past,
 This heart, wild beating, breaks at last,
       Shadowed by forest trees.

The shadow of the forest trees—
 Alas for heart! alas for stream!
 But both have had one blessèd gleam,
       Unshadowed by the trees.

Despite the shadow of the trees,
 The heart has loved, the stream has sung,
 Now let their mournful knell be rung,
       Shadowed by forest trees.