Poems (Griffith)/The Lone One at the Old Trysting-Place
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The Lone One at th Old Trysting-Place.
IT is the twilight hour, and o'er the earth
The softening spells of evening shadows steal.
All here is stillness now, and I have come
To look once more upon this spot, and hold
Communion with the unforgotten past.
My heart, all sad and lonely, here would breathe
The silent music that clings round its chords.
The perfume from the incense-breathing meads
Steals o'er my spirit, like the fragrance caught
From many a broken, pale, and withered flower
Of faded memory. The evening star
Still shines above as bright as when it beamed,
In eve's long past, a watchfire in the heavens,
To guide his steps to me
The softening spells of evening shadows steal.
All here is stillness now, and I have come
To look once more upon this spot, and hold
Communion with the unforgotten past.
My heart, all sad and lonely, here would breathe
The silent music that clings round its chords.
The perfume from the incense-breathing meads
Steals o'er my spirit, like the fragrance caught
From many a broken, pale, and withered flower
Of faded memory. The evening star
Still shines above as bright as when it beamed,
In eve's long past, a watchfire in the heavens,
To guide his steps to me
Ah, here where once
My young heart knew life's deepest blessings, I
Would weep away that heart's remaining youth.
Here where 'twas soft and gentle, it should now
Learn to be strong. Years, with their joys and griefs,
Have passed away and left this sacred spot
Unchanged. The little rustic seat where
Erst whiled away the dear and blissful hours
With Love's low-murmured melodies, is still
As memory oft has pictured it. Again
My heart forgets its shadows and its gloom,
The tones of love thrill through its depths, and on
The breeze the cadence of his winds is borne;
Again my hand within his own is pressed,
To his my eyes are turned and drink again
The bliss of that dear smile.
My young heart knew life's deepest blessings, I
Would weep away that heart's remaining youth.
Here where 'twas soft and gentle, it should now
Learn to be strong. Years, with their joys and griefs,
Have passed away and left this sacred spot
Unchanged. The little rustic seat where
Erst whiled away the dear and blissful hours
With Love's low-murmured melodies, is still
As memory oft has pictured it. Again
My heart forgets its shadows and its gloom,
The tones of love thrill through its depths, and on
The breeze the cadence of his winds is borne;
Again my hand within his own is pressed,
To his my eyes are turned and drink again
The bliss of that dear smile.
Within my soul
So dark and drear, a light is breaking now,
'Tis memory's holy star-gleam, 'tis a light
From out the happy past. Deep in my heart
There blooms a single flower, a lonely flower
Of faded recollection, the "last rose"
Of joy's departed Summer, a sweet bloom
Whose sad pale beauty lingers mournfully
Upon life's darkened waste—it is the bloom
Of dear remembered love, and now my heart,
My weary heart, finds rapture in this spot
Of holy tryst.
So dark and drear, a light is breaking now,
'Tis memory's holy star-gleam, 'tis a light
From out the happy past. Deep in my heart
There blooms a single flower, a lonely flower
Of faded recollection, the "last rose"
Of joy's departed Summer, a sweet bloom
Whose sad pale beauty lingers mournfully
Upon life's darkened waste—it is the bloom
Of dear remembered love, and now my heart,
My weary heart, finds rapture in this spot
Of holy tryst.
But, lo! the roseate tints
Have slowly faded from the Western sky,
The mystic lamps of Heaven shine far above,
And the pale moonbeams slumber with a wan
Mysterious light upon this blessed scene.
The falling dews are heavy on my hair,
Whilst tears, delicious tears, are welling up
From my heart's shadowed fount
Have slowly faded from the Western sky,
The mystic lamps of Heaven shine far above,
And the pale moonbeams slumber with a wan
Mysterious light upon this blessed scene.
The falling dews are heavy on my hair,
Whilst tears, delicious tears, are welling up
From my heart's shadowed fount
I am alone
With God and with His holy messengers
That guard this sacred place. A soft low prayer
Is gently stirring all my heart's young leaves,
And breathing from my lips. Oh I would ask
For him a charmed existence. I would ask
That on my life the shadows lengthening
In their decline might rest, so he be spared
A single sorrow. Let the blessed beam
Shine on him, and the shadow hang o'er me.
My life within the "vale of shadows" e'er
Must lie, but oh may his be on the bright,
Sun-lighted mount, and from my lowly home,
With outstretched arms and yearning heart, I'll lift
My soul to pierce the cloud-gloom, and to gaze
With love and tears on him.
With God and with His holy messengers
That guard this sacred place. A soft low prayer
Is gently stirring all my heart's young leaves,
And breathing from my lips. Oh I would ask
For him a charmed existence. I would ask
That on my life the shadows lengthening
In their decline might rest, so he be spared
A single sorrow. Let the blessed beam
Shine on him, and the shadow hang o'er me.
My life within the "vale of shadows" e'er
Must lie, but oh may his be on the bright,
Sun-lighted mount, and from my lowly home,
With outstretched arms and yearning heart, I'll lift
My soul to pierce the cloud-gloom, and to gaze
With love and tears on him.
Sweet spot, farewell!
Take these, my breaking heart's wild, burning tears
As its deep blessing. Take my stifled sobs
As tokens of my parting agony.
The holy light of love that ever burns
Within my soul on memory's sacred shrine,
Has gathered brightness and intensity
From this lone eve's communion. Dearest spot,
Farewell! farewell! I may not see thee more.
Take these, my breaking heart's wild, burning tears
As its deep blessing. Take my stifled sobs
As tokens of my parting agony.
The holy light of love that ever burns
Within my soul on memory's sacred shrine,
Has gathered brightness and intensity
From this lone eve's communion. Dearest spot,
Farewell! farewell! I may not see thee more.