How will it be When you at last in heaven we see, -- Dear souls, whose footsteps in lost days, Made musical earth's toil-worn ways, While we not half the loneliness That bound you to our side could guess? Where angels know your footfall, we Are fain to be. We never knew -- So heedlessly we walked with you -- The drops we jostled from your cup, That, spilt, could not be gathered up: We might have given you foam and glow From our own beaker's overflow; -- Ah! what we might have been to you, We never knew! We might have lent Such strength, such comfort and content To you, out of our ample store: We might have hastened on before To lift the shadows from your way, Darkened, ere noon, to twilight's gray; With earth's cold air love's warm heart-scent We might have blent. Dear, wistful eyes, Ye haunt us with your kind surprise, Your tender wonder that a heart Should thus be left alone, apart, So loving, so misunderstood By us, in our self-centred mood: Alas! in vain to you arise Our longing cries! Oh, will you wait For us, beyond the shining gate? Though lovely gifts behind you left, We want yourselves: we are bereft. From your new mansion glorious Will you lean out to look for us? Shut is the far-off, shining gate: -- Are we too late? | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...TO OUR MOCKING-BIRD; DIED OF A CAT, MAY, 1878 by SIDNEY LANIER THE NIGHT MOTHS by EDWIN MARKHAM SANTA FE SKETCHES by CARL SANDBURG THE VIKING GRAVE AT LADBY by KAREN SWENSON STONEWALL JACKSON'S WAY by JOHN WILLIAMSON PALMER |