134 HOPE DEFERRED. The morn shall come; nay He himself, Then shall the weary night-watch cease, The lattice of her tower. "Twas not in vain she kept the watch 'Twas not in vain she waited thus, It dawns at last, the long-loved morn, The sorrows of delay. THE BLANK. ONE flower may fill another's place, Be lost amid another's flowing. One star in yon bright azure dome But who shall fill a brother's room? Or who shall soothe the bosom's grieving? Who heal the heart around his tomb Too faithfully, too fondly cleaving? Can I supply youth's memories? Or speak the words in childhood spoken ? Can I re-knit the severed ties ? Replace, retune the chord once broken? 136 THE SLEEP OF THE BELOVED. It is not here, it is not now, That hearts are knit no more to sever; Grief's wrinkles razed from cheek and brow, And life's long blanks filled up for ever. THE SLEEP OF THE BELOVED. "So he giveth his beloved sleep."-PSALM CXxvii. 2. SUNLIGHT has vanished, and the weary earth. Lies resting from a long day's toil and pain, And, looking for a new dawn's early birth, Seeks strength in slumber for its toil again. We too would rest; but ere we close the eye Upon the consciousness of waking thought, Would calmly turn it to yon star-bright sky, And lift the soul to Him who slumbers not. Above us is thy hand with tender care, THE SLEEP OF THE BELOVED. 137 Darkness seems loaded with oblivious air, Thou hast provided midnight's hour of peace, Grief flies away; care quits our easy couch, God of our life! God of each day and night! 12* THE LITTLE FLOCK. A LITTLE flock! So calls He thee, A little flock! So calls He thee; A little flock! Yes, even so; So willeth He; Amen! Not many rich or noble called, Not many great or wise; They whom God makes his kings and priests, Are poor in human eyes. |