And the mind has a pleasant thought, And the heart has a fond desire, And the soul is a tissue wrought Of youth, and it's golden fire. And the limbs are both clean and strong, And able to rest with joy, And our time in the world is long, With nothing that can destroy The rapture of God's green earth, The throb and the ecstasy That springs into life with birth, And lives through eternity. TO —— Dear heart! I was going away, Could you not have spared me an hour Of all your bountiful day? No moment, no word, no flower To keep; not even a tear? My soul was so thirsty, dear! LOVE TRIUMPHANT Ere the first grief was born Love was. And after griefs are gone Love still shall triumph on. Ere the first grief was born Love was. In Eden grief became Love's slave. For in the dust and woe Lost Adam still could know Fond recompense, and so Did grief become Love's slave. MY ROSE A Rose! but what can it say, So tender, and sweet, and dumb; What part of my love convey, What thrill of the joys to come? I send it, but how shall you, Dear heart, ever understand That rapturous tear of dew, It drops on your strong white hand? Or know that my lips have pressed Those petals until they blush, Or feel that my heart has blessed The flower that your touch may crush? IF ONLY Oh! if one could only learn not to care, To be utterly indifferent storm or fair; And to say there's always pain With the joy, I don't complain, For the sunshine draws the rain Everywhere. Oh! if one could only learn not to feel; To be absolutely callous, false or real; And to let the world go by, With a laugh to cap its sigh, With a jest to meet its lie, Cold as steel. CONFESSION Within the portals of thy shrine Before thy presence, dearest mine, I kneel, beseeching thee to bless My penitence, while I confess, And can a saint do any less? If I have sinned as others do, All human hearts the wide world through Are erring things, and then with me My greatest wrong was loving thee, Wilt thou condemn my constancy? Look down, dear heart, and let thine eyes Commend my soul to Paradise. He little sins, who sins in this That to obtain eternal bliss Seeks the communion of a kiss. SUNLIGHT ON DISTANT HILLS (Ledbury) But a moment since and the sun was shining Over the hills that I see from my room. And now the rain and the mist come driving Out of the West, in a cloud of gloom. Over the woods, and meadows, and gardens, Hurries the storm like the hand of Doom.