See! again! a woman hasting
Down a shadowy, sunset way, Loving, anxious glances casting
Through the twilight soft and gray; Homeward, love-ward she is hasting.
Laughing children run to meet her
From the home-door open wide ;
Loving words and kisses greet her,
Pattering feet run by her side ;
All the home comes forth to meet her.
Look once more! a pilgrim weary
Standeth in the twilight gray ; All around is strange and dreary,
As she asks, with plaintive query, “Can you show the homeward way?
Lead me homeward : I am weary.”.
Then a Presence stood to guide her,
Pointing where the way did lie; Gently spoke, and walked beside her
To a gateway dim and high.
“ Home !” she breathed, with restful sigh, To the Presence that did guide her.
Homeward still, the tiny maiden,
Motherhood, love- and care-laden,
Age, with weight of years oppressed,
Homeward turn for love and rest.
And the home, with open door,
Waits with “ Welcome evermore.
W. H. Savage.
Poems marked thus (*) have been printed only in part.
After our child's untroubled breath
A little fold of hands
*All as God wills, who wisely heeds
All that God wounds he constantly is healing
*Another hand is beckoning us
Answer me, burning stars of night
A snowflake falls from out the air above
As tender mothers guiding baby steps.
At eve it shall be light, the promise reads
*A white dove out of heaven flew
Beside a massive gateway built up in years gone by
Blindfolded and alone I wait
Brother, the angels say
Buried to-day
*Children are God's Apostles
Climbing the mountain's shaggy crest
Come forth, come forth with solemn song
*Farewell! since nevermore for thee
Father, before thy footstool kneeling
Father, into thy loving hands
*Fear death? - to feel the fog in my throat .
*I cannot, cannot say
*I cannot make him dead
I cannot think of them as dead
*I do not come to weep above thy pall
If one had watched a prisoner many a year
*“ If ye loved me,” Jesus said
I had a little daughter .
I hear it singing, singing sweetly
I lay me down to rest
I like that ancient Saxon phrase .
In schools of wisdom all the day was spent
*In the Baron's hall of pride
Into the silent land
I saw an aged man upon his bier .
Is it so far from thee?
I think if thou couldst know
I think it is over, over
It singeth low in every heart
It was a tender hand that drew my boy away
*I will not mock tl.ee with the poor world's common
I will not think the last farewell we hear
Life and thought have gone away
Life! I know not what thou art
Life of our life, and light of all our seeing
Servant of God, well done! .
She waited for the summons, lengthening days
Since thy Father's arm sustains thee
Sleep, tired ene, sleep .
Sometime, when all life's lessons have been learned
Straight and still the baby lies
Such beautiful, beautiful hands
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Take them, O death, and bear away
The baby wept
The dead are like the stars by day
*The face which duly as the sun
The fragrance of the rose
The little feet that never trod
There is a Reaper whose name is Death
There is no death! The stars go down
There is no flock, however watched and tended .
There's not an hour but from some sparkling beach
They sat in peace in the sunshine
Those we love truly never die
Thou that art strong to comfort
To pass through life beloved as few are loved
To weary hearts, to mourning homes
Twilight falls, a tiny maiden
Until we meet again, that is the meaning
We know not what it is, dear
We must not doubt, or fear, or dread
*We need some charmer, for our hearts are sore
We watched her breathing through the night
We wreathed about our darling's head
What shall I do with all the days and hours
What may we take into the vast forever
What did we ask with all our love for him
Where the mountains slope to the westward
*Who is the angel that cometh ? Life!
Why shouldst thou fear the beautiful angel Death ?
*Wilt thou not ope thy heart to know?
*Within this lowly grave a conqueror lies
*Within the maddening maze of things
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