Poems (Kimball)/My Namesake
For works with similar titles, see My Namesake.
MY NAMESAKE.
FROM silvery clouds the silvery showers
Fell o'er the earth;
Stole softly forth the faint, sweet flowers
Of April birth.
Fell o'er the earth;
Stole softly forth the faint, sweet flowers
Of April birth.
An April babe my namesake came
One April day;
Just claimed on earth her place, her name,
And fled away.
One April day;
Just claimed on earth her place, her name,
And fled away.
A few soft sighings of the breath
And it was spent;
Too frail for life, too sweet for death,
She came and went.
And it was spent;
Too frail for life, too sweet for death,
She came and went.
So brief a stay, so swift a flight,
Could scarce be felt;
Thus snowflakes falling light as light
Touch earth and melt.
Could scarce be felt;
Thus snowflakes falling light as light
Touch earth and melt.
If verily she hath been here
We hardly know;
The frailest blossoms of the year
Her days outgrow.
We hardly know;
The frailest blossoms of the year
Her days outgrow.
Sweet month of soft unsorrowing sighs
And fragrant breath;
Of tender showery, brooding skies;
Of life, not death;
And fragrant breath;
Of tender showery, brooding skies;
Of life, not death;
Her faint sweet memory entomb
In violets,
The pathos of whose faint perfume
Breathes no regrets!
In violets,
The pathos of whose faint perfume
Breathes no regrets!
How strange to enter Paradise,
As she to-day,
With not one tear in those sweet eyes
To wipe away!
As she to-day,
With not one tear in those sweet eyes
To wipe away!