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AFTERWARDS by BURTON EGBERT STEVENSON

First Line: THE RINGING LAUGH OF A JOYOUS HEART, AND THE GLANCE OF A SMILING EYE
Last Line: WILL THESE MATTER TO THEE, THOU SOUL SET FREE, THOU DUST DOWN UNDER THE GRASS?
Subject(s): COURTSHIP; LOVE;

THE ringing laugh of a joyous heart, and the glance of a smiling eye,
The womanly grace of a piquant face in the rollicking days gone by, --

The conscious shyness of word and glance, and the thrill of the hand's caress;
The tender hush, the rising blush, and the timidly whispered "Yes," --

The swift, bright gleam of the wedding-ring, the tenderly fearful bliss
Of the upturned face in its shimmering lace, and the breath of the marriage
kiss, --

Through all the eternal grim parade of days and nights that pass,
Will these matter to thee, thou soul set free, thou dust down under the grass?



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