Poems (Hoffman)/Broken Hearts
BROKEN HEARTS.
They beat beneath lace, jewels, flowers,
Fit decorations of their bier;
But none will stop to drop a tear,
Or watch through all the weary hours.
Fit decorations of their bier;
But none will stop to drop a tear,
Or watch through all the weary hours.
Or 'neath the cheapest garb they throb,
Their onward march to death and rest;
For night will come and it is best
For smothered sigh and stifled sob.
Their onward march to death and rest;
For night will come and it is best
For smothered sigh and stifled sob.
O do not scoff! If we could know
The sweetest faces that we meet
Smile above human hearts that beat
Sad minor strains in vespers low.
The sweetest faces that we meet
Smile above human hearts that beat
Sad minor strains in vespers low.
Hush, careless laugh and cruel jest,
Twine Sympathy's sweet flowers with Mirth;
Pray for the broken hearts of earth,
Deep buried in a faithful breast.
Twine Sympathy's sweet flowers with Mirth;
Pray for the broken hearts of earth,
Deep buried in a faithful breast.
That broken harp that still sounds sweet,
Through night and storm, Hope's gladsome chords;
For wounded valor Earth hath words,
For this, the silence of defeat.
Through night and storm, Hope's gladsome chords;
For wounded valor Earth hath words,
For this, the silence of defeat.