Sweet neighbours, whisper low instead, "This sinner was a loving oneAnd now her spinning is all done." And let the door ajar remain, In case he should pass by anon; And leave the wheel out very plain,— That HE, when passing in the sun, May see the spinning is all done. CHANGE UPON CHANGE. FIVE months ago, the stream did flow, For if I do not hear thy foot, The frozen river is as mute, The flowers have dried down to the root: And slow, slow as the winter snow, And my poor cheeks, five months ago Put paleness on for a disguise. THAT DAY. I STAND by the river where both of us stood The flowers of the margin are many to see; I stand by the river, I think of the vow; Oh, calm as the place is, vow-breaker, be thou! And my lover that day? Go, be sure of my love, by that treason forgiven ; Heaven; Of my grief-(guess the length of the sword by the sheath's) By the silence of life, more pathetic than death's! Go,-be clear of that day! VOID IN LAW. SLEEP, little babe, on my knee, And the great human world goeth ill. Sleep, for the wicked agree : Sleep, let them do as they will. Sleep. Sleep, thou hast drawn from my breast Lest the real should trouble thy blood. As we kiss in the air whom we would. Sleep. O lips of thy father! the same, So like! Very deeply they swore When he gave me his ring and his name, To take back, I imagined, no more ! And now is all changed like a game, Though the old cards are used as of yore? Sleep. "Void in law," said the courts. Something wrong In the forms? Yet, "Till death part us two, I, James, take thee, Jessie," was strong, And ONE witness competent. True Such a marriage was worth an old song, Heard in Heaven, though, as plain as the New. Sleep. Sleep, little child, his and mine! Her throat has the antelope curve, And her cheek just the colour and line Which fade not before him nor swerve: Yet she has no child !-the divine Seal of right upon loves that deserve. Sleep. My child! though the world take her part, Saying, "She was the woman to choose, He had eyes, was a man in his heart,”— We twain the decision refuse : We... weak as I am, as thou art, Cling on to him, never to loose. Sleep. He thinks that, when done with this place, Let him learn we are waiting before The grave's mouth, the Heaven's gate, God's face, With implacable love evermore. Sleep. He's ours, though he kissed her but now ; And God's universe favour the lie; Ah baby, my baby, too rough Is my lullaby? What have I said? Sleep! When I 've wept long enough I shall learn to weep softly instead, And piece with some alien stuff My heart to lie smooth for thy head. Two souls met upon thee, my sweet; If the one who remains (only one) May He of the manger stand near And love thee! An infant He came I hurry the cross on my Dear! My gifts are the griefs I declaim ! Sleep. MY HEART AND I. ENOUGH! we're tired, my heart and I. And wish that name were carved for us. The hard types of the mason's knife, You see we're tired, my heart and I. We walked too straight for fortune's end, How tired we feel, my heart and I! Our voice which thrilled you so, will let You sleep; our tears are only wet: So tired, so tired, my heart and I To watch the sunset from the sky. "Dear love, you 're looking tired,” he said : I, smiling at him, shook my head. 'T is now we're tired, my heart and I. So tired, so tired, my heart and I ! |