Poems (Henderson)/A Retrospect

by Elizabeth Henderson

For works with similar titles, see A Retrospect.

A RETROSPECT.

Oh! heart, pray still thy throbbing,
 Bend, heart, but do not break,
Life hath its noble duty,
 Its sacrifice to make.

Oh! heart, the days are dreary,
 The glory of thy youth,
Hath with the violets faded,
 Once emblems of thy truth.

But the scent of wildering roses,
 Steals o'er thy senses still,
And Memory doth bring thee,
 Thy childhood visions still.

Thine idols all have perished,
 Oh! heart, when fondest grown,
The love thou held'st the dearest,
 Grew cold as winter's snow.

Thou can'st not bring thy childhood back,
 Its music and its bloom,
Nor call the love thou gavest,
 From out its silent tomb.

But thou, Oh! heart, may'st garner,
 And cherish every hour,
The rays of comfort breaking,
 Like sunshine after shower.

Oh! heart, a glory falleth,
 Like that on ripened sheaves,
When autumn's sunray slanteth,
 Athwart the forest leaves.

Go, draw the curtains of thy thought,
 And let the sunshine in,
For with the bow of promise,
 Thy soul's high arch is spanned.

Go, sow beside all waters,
 Time's tide flows swiftly on,
And soon the dim light drifteth,
 That shadoweth the tomb.

But thou, Oh! heart, shall rest,
 Not in its lowering gloom,
Beyond the gates of heaven,
 Thou, heart, shalt find thine own.