Poems (Henderson)/An Autumn Memory
AN AUTUMN MEMORY.
A purple glory in the mellow air, A rift of blue sky overhead,Bright flecks, of sunlight everywhere, And chirping squirrel's tread.A shady hollow, in a dewy wood, Where gnarled trunks of oak and beech,All draped in clustering vines, deep-dyed, In Autumn sunshine's reach.
Shadowed a rock, with moss o'er grown, And half reclining there,With changing lights upon her brow, And sunlight in her hair.She sat, my hearts first fond ideal, Ah me! the vision floateth dim,Above the mist of darkened years, Like glimpse of cherubim.
Heart-wounds, have left their seams and scars, Broken, its quivering strings,But rent and torn, her impress there, Still lives, a barren desert's spring.
The sloping sun slid farther down; A heavenly glory settled there,The rustling of the angel's wings, I heard, or seemed to hear,The daylight drew its crimson folds, Athwart the sunset bars,I clasped her to my heart, and kissed, Her 'neath the purple stars.
Oh! glimpse of heaven far beyond: Ecstatic hour of bliss,When two fond hearts blend into one, The wild sweet rapture of a kiss.And that first kiss of love shall thrill, Her soul, when pulses cease to beat,When that eternity, she treads, My angel, with her gold winged feet.
Oh! dark'ning gulf, that yawns between, By high ambition barred,I span thy depths, to thee, my queen, My soul floats, glory-starred.
I burst the bonds of air and light, And view the shining cross,That sheds its glory, beaming bright, Through upper fields of frost,I catch the gleam of seraph wings, I sleep and clasp once more,Love's diadem, that faded quite, My longing eyes before.