Page images
PDF
EPUB
[graphic][subsumed]

The young, who shared my warrior-way,
But found an early urn,-

And the roses of my youth's bright day--
Stranger, will they return?

My mother's face was fair to see-
My father's glance was bright.-

But long ago the grave from me
Hath hid their blessed light;

Still sweeter was the sunshine shed
By my lost children's eyes,
That beam upon me from the dead,-
Stranger, will they arise?

[graphic]

ALL THINGS NEW.

Was it some green grave's early guest,
Who loved thee long and well,
That left the land of dreamless rest,
Such blessed truths to tell?
For we have had our wise ones, too,
Who feared not death's abyss,-
The strong in hope, in love the true,-
But none that dreamed of this!

Yet, if the grave restore to life
Her ransomed spoils again,
And ever hide the hate and strife
That died with wayward men ;—
How hath my spirit missed the star
That guides our steps above ;—
Since only earth was given to war,-
That better land to love!

ALL THINGS NEW.

"And He that sat upon the Throne said, Behold, I make all things new.”

NEW Heavens! for the stars grow pale

With the midnight scenes of time!

And the sun is weary of the wail

That meets him in every clime :

And the sky grows dim with the mist of tearsBring back the blue of its first, bright years!

FRANCES BROWN.

New Earth! for the land and waves
With a weight of evil groan;

And its dwellings stand in a soil of graves,
Which fearful things have known:

From the touch of fire, from the battle-stain,
Gives us its Eden green again!

New Law! for 'tis the arm of wrong,

And great hath been the cry

When oppressors' hands in their might grew strong,
And their deeds have pierced the sky-
But the powers are shaken;-oh! requite
With the free, unchanging law of right.

New Faith! for a voice of blood

Hath been heard from every shrine, And the world hath worshipped many

With rites it deemed divine:

a God

But the creeds grow old, and the fanes decay :-
Show us, at last, some better way!

New Hope! for it rose among

The thorns of a barren spot,

Where the bloom is brief and the labour long,

And the harvest cometh not :

And hearts grow weary that watch and wait-
Give them a rainbow that fears not fate!

New Love! for it hath been cast

On the troubled waters, long,
And hoped in visions vain that passed
Away, like a night-bird's song :—

It may not be severed from the lost,--
But give us the young world's love uncross'd!

New Life! give the summers back

Whose glory passed in vain,

ALL THINGS NEW.

Redeem our days from the shadow black
Of clouds without the rain,

And the wastes which bitter waters wore--
And our canker-eaten years restore!

New Light for the lamps decay

Which shone on the old world's youth,

And the wise man watches for a ray

Of the undiscovered Truth :

Long hath he looked through the midnight dim,

Let the glorious Day-Spring visit him!

Must the Earth's last hope like a shadow flee?
Was the dream of ages vain ?

Oh! when will the bright restoring be,

And the glory come again

Of our promised spring, with its blessed dew-
And His Word, that maketh all things new!

[merged small][ocr errors]

LONDON:

PRINTED BY RICHARD CLAY,

BREAD STREET HILL

« PreviousContinue »