MISCELLANEOUS POEMS.

THRENODIA.

GONE, gone from us! and shall we see

Those sibyl-leaves of destiny,

Those calm eyes, nevermore?

Those deep, dark eyes so warm and bright,

Wherein the fortunes of the man

Lay slumbering in prophetic light,
In characters a child might scan?
So bright, and gone forth utterly!
O stern word - Nevermore !

The stars of those two gentle eyes

Will shine no more on earth;

Quenched are the hopes that had their birth,

As we watched them slowly rise,

Stars of a mother's fate;

And she would read them o'er and o'er,

Pondering, as she sate,

Over their dear astrology,

Which she had conned and conned before,

Deeming she needs must read aright

What was writ so passing bright.

And yet, alas! she knew not why,

Her voice would falter in its song,

And tears would slide from out her eye,

Silent, as they were doing wrong.

The tongue, that scarce had learned to claim

An entrance to a mother's heart

By that dear talisman, a mother's name;

Sleeps all forgetful of its art!

I loved to see the infant soul
(How mighty in the weakness
Of its untutored meekness!)

Peep timidly from out its nest,
His lips, the while,

Fluttering with half-fledged words,
Or hushing to a smile

That more than words expressed,

When his glad mother on him stole

And snatched him to her breast!

O, thoughts were brooding in those eyes,

That would have soared like strong-winged birds

Far, far into the skies,

Gladding the earth with song

And gushing harmonies,

Had he but tarried with us long!

O stern word-Nevermore !

How peacefully they rest,

Crossfolded there

Upon his little breast,

Those small, white hands that ne'er were still before,

But ever sported with his mother's hair,

Or the plain cross that on her breast she wore!

Her heart no more will beat

To feel the touch of that soft palm,
That ever seemed a new surprise

Sending glad thoughts up to her eyes

To bless him with their holy calm, —

Sweet thoughts! they made her eyes as sweet. How quiet are the hands

That wove those pleasant bands!

But that they do not rise and sink

With his calm breathing, I should think

That he were dropped asleep.

Alas! too deep, too deep

Is this his slumber!

Time scarce can number

The years ere he will wake agen.

O, may we see his eyelids open then!

O stern word - Nevermore!

As the airy gossamere,
Floating in the sunlight clear,

Where'er it toucheth clingeth tightly,
Round glossy leaf or stump unsightly,
So from his spirit wandered out

Tendrils spreading all about,

Knitting all things to its thrall

With a perfect love of all:

O stern word-Nevermore!

He did but float a little way Adown the stream of time,

With dreamy eyes watching the ripples play,

Or listening their fairy chime;

His slender sail

Ne'er felt the gale ;

He did but float a little way,

And, putting to the shore

While yet 't was early day,

Went calmly on his way,

To dwell with us no more!

No jarring did he feel,

No grating on his vessel's keel;

A strip of silver sand

Mingled the waters with the land

Where he was seen no more:

O stern word-Nevermore!