ABSENCE and Presence, born of elder Night, O'er common mortals hold a common sway; Absence alights when Presence takes her flight, Presence presides when Absence is away. O'er life's dull ocean, borne with steady sails, Alike, as brother oft resembles brother; By cold indifference poised in equal scales, The one may well pass current for the other. But (thee once known) what heart can ever know, Oblivion, weed that rots on Lethe's wharf? Presence dispensing joy, and Absence woe, This soars a giant, and that droops a dwarf. Oh! disproportioned size of joy and grief, Absence, how endless long, and Presence brief! Thou 'lt still survive, when I to time shall bow, When my leaves scattered lie, thy rose will bloom; Thou'lt walk the earth, alert as thou art now, When I am mould'ring in the silent tomb; My face, my form, traced by the graver's tool, Thou holdest: hold them then; and, with a sigh, When shadowing night shall o'er the welkin rule, Bethink thee, musing, of the days gone by. Be not @3too@1 happy, or my jealous sprite Shall deem thy laughter light, thy spirits folly; But, gazing on my portraiture, unite Serene content with sober melancholy, And cast, in thy beloved sobriety, @3Some@1 thoughts on him whose @3all@1 thoughts dwelt on thee. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...WHY I AM A LIBERAL by ROBERT BROWNING A SHROPSHIRE LAD: 19. TO AN ATHLETE DYING YOUNG by ALFRED EDWARD HOUSMAN THE PRODIGAL'S BROTHER SPEAKS by BESS SAMUEL AYRES GIVE NOT WITH YOUR HANDS by MACKNIGHT BLACK ZOPHIEL; OR THE BRIDE OF SEVEN: CANTO 6. BRIDAL OF HELEN by MARIA GOWEN BROOKS WEE WILLIE GRAY by ROBERT BURNS END AND BEGINNING by AMELIA JOSEPHINE BURR THE MACHINE by MAXWELL STRUTHERS BURT O'CONNOR'S CHILD; OR, THE FLOWER OF LOVE-LIES-BLEEDING by THOMAS CAMPBELL |