Poems (Henderson)/Parted

by Elizabeth Henderson

For works with similar titles, see Parted.

PARTED.

There's a silence at the hearth-stone,
 That no merry voice can break,
There's a heart-chord ever silent,
 That no minstrel hand can wake.
June-time roses ne'r were sweeter,
 So I hear the children say,
And I look upon their faces,
 And I watch them at their play,
But the roses seem so withered,
 And the child-faces so old,
And the sunshine look so pale,
 So unlike its oldtime gold.

I have lost the human yearning,
 For the touch of thy dear lips,
And the light of thy sweet eyes,
 Veiled in such a strange eclipse.
And the agony.of longing,
 For thy warm soft hand in mine,
Loses its exquisite paining,
 'Neath the healing touch of Time.

But when little footsteps near me,
 Little hands clasp mama's own,
Little lips held up to kiss me,
 Shyly ask, "where's papa gone,"
Then I say, "gone with the angels,"
 And I look at heaven's blue,
And wonder if a straggling sunray,
 Of God's glory will peep through.

Sometimes when the pale white shadow
 Of the moon falls on my bed,
Making squares of silvery light,
 And creeping over baby's head,
I think I see thee stand so near me,
 That I lie, afraid to breathe,
Lest thou answer and departing,
 Break the blessed dream of peace.

When the sky hangs out her golden,
 Banners in the early morn,
And the blue's sweet curling vapors,
 Rise like thoughts to heaven borne,
I breathe a prayer that they may bear thee,
 In thy home of rest and peace,
(For Eternity will linger,
 When the heaven and earth have ceased,)
Just this token of my longing,
 For thy blessed presence here,
"Darling, darling, I shall love thee,
 Better for these parted years."
For I think in the far heaven,
 Of the future, souls unite,
And I know the heavenly Father,
 Out of darkness bringeth light.