My friend, adown Life's valley, hand in hand, With grateful change of grave and merry speech Or song, our hearts unlocking each to each, We'll journey onward to the silent land; And when stern Death shall loose that loving band, Taking in his cold hand a hand of ours, The one shall strew the other's grave with flowers, Nor shall his heart a moment be unmanned. My friend and brother! if thou goest first, Wilt thou no more re-visit me below? Yea, when my heart seems happy, causelessly And swells, not dreaming why, as it would burst With joy unspeakable--my soul shall know That thou, unseen, art bending over me. XI. Verse cannot say how beautiful thou art, How glorious the calmness of thine eyes, Full of unconquerable energies, Telling that thou hast acted well thy part. No doubt or fear thy steady faith can start, No thought of evil dare come nigh to thee, Who hast the courage meek of purity, The self-stayed greatness of a loving heart, Strong with serene, enduring fortitude; Where'er thou art, that seems thy fitting place, For not of forms, but Nature, art thou child; And lowest things put on a noble grace When touched by ye, O patient, Ruth-like, mild And spotless hands of earnest womanhood. XII. The soul would fain its loving kindness tell, But custom hangs like lead upon the tongue; The heart is brimful, hollow crowds among, When it finds one whose life and thought are well; Up to the eyes its gushing love doth swell, The angel cometh and the waters move, Yet it is fearful still to say "I love," And words come grating as a jangled bell. O might we only speak but what we feel, Might the tongue pay but what the heart doth owe, Not Heaven's great thunder, when, deep peal on peal, It shakes the earth, could rouse our spirits so, Or to the soul such majesty reveal, As two short words half-spoken faint and low! XIII. I saw a gate: a harsh voice spake and said, "This is the gate of Life;" above was writ, "Leave hope behind, all ye who enter it;" Then shrank my heart within itself for dread; But, softer than the summer rain is shed, Words dropt upon my soul, and they did say, "Fear nothing, Faith shall save thee, watch and pray!" So, without fear I lifted up my head, And lo! that writing was not, one fair word Was carven in its stead, and it was "Love." Then rained once more those sweet tones from above With healing on their wings: I humbly heard, "I am the Life, ask and it shall be given! I am the way, by me ye enter Heaven!" XIV.