THE DEPARTED. Thou shalt lie down With patriarchs of the infant world-with kings, All in one mighty sepulchre. AND shrink ye from the way BRYANT. To the spirit's distant shore ?— Earth's mightiest men, in arm'd array, Are thither gone before. The warrior kings, whose banner Flew far as eagles fly, They are gone where swords avail them not, From the feast of victory. And the seers who sat of yore By orient palm or wave, They have pass'd with all their starry lore We fear! we fear!-the sunshine Is joyous to behold, And we reck not of the buried kings, Ye shrink!-the bards whose lays Have made your deep hearts burn, They have left the sun, and the voice of praise, For the land whence none return. They too are gone, with their glorious bloom, From the love of human eye. Would ye not join that throng Of the earth's departed flowers, And the masters of the mighty song In their far and fadeless bowers? Those songs are high and holy, But they vanquish not our fear; Not from our path those flowers are gone— Linger then yet awhile, As the last leaves on the bough!— Ye have lov'd the light of many a smile, That is taken from you now. There have been sweet singing voices There are seats left void in your earthly homes, Soft eyes are seen no more, That made spring-time in your heart; Kindred and friends are gone before- We fear not now, we fear not! Though the way thro' darkness bends; Our souls are strong to follow them, Our own familiar friends! THE PALM-TREE.* IT wav'd not thro' an Eastern sky, It was not fann'd by southern breeze In some green isle of Indian seas, But fair the exil'd Palm-tree grew * This incident is, I think, recorded by De Lille, in his poem of "Les Jardins." |