Poems (Greenwell)/The Picture and the Scroll
THE PICTURE AND THE SCROLL.
"Oh, mes amis! lisez-vous quelquefois mes vers; mon âme y est empreinte."
A Bride looked long upon her picture: " Thou Art left among the things I held most dear, A dearer love is calling me; yet now These: to my heart have never been so near; And I shall not be by when they are gay; They will be sad, and I shall be away; Yet Thou wilt look upon them night and day, As once I looked, so now I leave upon Thy silent lips a kiss to bide alway,— Smile on them, smile on them when I am gone!"
A Singer looked in silence on a scroll, Her eyes were dark with eloquent fire, her soul Smiled through them bride-like—yet the hand was cold That locked her slender palm within its hold, And set the spousal wreath upon her brow; She said, "I go from all that has been dear, For dearer love is calling me; yet now These to my heart have never been so near, So will I leave my kiss this scroll upon, That they may find it, while I whisper clear, Smile on them, smile on them when I am gone!'"