Lines On The Death Of My Children
How dreamy was earth and how lonely my heart,
When called from my dearly loved children to part:
As dim grew the eye, and fainter each breath,
And I felt it, alas! yes, I knew it was death.
But the grief that I felt, as I bade them farewell,
There is none but a fond doting parent can tell;
How vacant the cabin, how lonely each spot,
As these thoughts came across me, "My children are not."
No more will they hasten their parents to meet,
Nor brother nor sister these children shall greet;
They'll come in my memory again and again,
But we list to the sound of their footsteps in vain.
But time passed away and years since have fled,
And I mourn for the living far more than the dead;
For they are surrounded by many a snare,
While the dead are unconscious of sorrow and care.
And now far away these five children do rest,
Beyond the dark billows in the wilds of the West;
No stone is erected to point to each tomb,
But the tall trees wave round them and the wild flowers bloom.
But I would not recall them though ever so dear,
They are free from life's sorrows whilst I'm toiling here,
In that glorious morn that disperses all gloom,
In beauty immortal they'll wake from the tomb.
Yes the Life-Giver's coming! He soon will appear,
To comfort the mourner and dry every tear;
Then his saints will arise and triumphantly sing,
"0 grave where's thy victory! 0 death where's thy sting!"
SUSAN ELMER.
Ashfield, Mass.