THE rose that deck'd thy cheek is dead, The ruby from thy lip has fled, Thy brow has lost its gladness; And the pure smiles that used to play So brightly there, have pass'd away Before the touch of sadness! -- Yet sorrow's shadows o'er thy face Have wander'd with a mellowing grace. And grief has given to thine eye A beauty, such as yonder sky Receives, when daylight's splendour Fades in the holy twilight hour, Whose magic hangs on every flower A bloom more pure and tender; When angels walk the quiet even, On messages of love from heaven! Thy low sweet voice, in every word, Breathes -- like soft music far-off heard -- The soul of melancholy! And oh! to listen to thy sigh! The evening gale that wanders by The rose is not so holy! But none may know the thoughts that rest In the deep silence of thy breast! For oh! thou art, to mortal eyes, Like some pure spirit of the skies, Awhile to bless us given; And sadly pining for the day, To spread thy wings, and flee away, Back to thy native heaven! Thou wert beloved by all before, But now, -- a thing that we adore! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE CHILD ALONE: 1. THE UNSEEN PLAYMATE by ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON LITTLE GIFFEN by FRANCIS ORRERY TICKNOR ONCE I PASS'D THROUGH A POPULOUS CITY by WALT WHITMAN THE SHAVEN BEAUTY by YUSUF IBN HARUN AL-RAMADI THE JEW'S GIFT; A.D. 1200 by THOMAS BAILEY ALDRICH EMBLEMS OF LOVE: 20. EVER PRESENT by PHILIP AYRES RECESS by MILDRED TELFORD BARNWELL |