The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1871-08-24
THE SINGER.
uY JOHN q. WHITTIER,

400 ,hiuk there will be no llnpropllely IN
I'M ,hat the Singer referred TO in the
having pOem Is Alice Cary, WIN WhOlIi
~ Whittier was on terms Of very cordial
intimacy Tor MANY years.
ycors since (but names to nc before
rwo sisters sought at eve my door;
,rwo song birds wandering, from their nest,
i grey old farmhouse in the west
Timid and young, the elder had
Even then smile too swcctly sad.
Ihc crown of pain that all mus, wear
TOO early pressed her midnight hair
yct ere the Summer eve grew long,
Ilcr modest lips were sweet with sOns'
hmcmory haunted all her words
Ul clover fields and singing birds
Her dark, dilating eyes EXPRESSED
The broad horizons Of The west: =,
lcr speech dropped prairie flowers the solll
Oi harvest wheat above her rolled
Fore doomed to song she seemed to me,
1uoricd not with destiny:
knew tho trial and the need.
Yet. all the more, said, GOd speed
What could other than did?
Could | II singing bird forbid?
Deny the wind stirred leaf? ,Rcbukc
Tho music Of the forest brook?
She went with morning from my door
But left me richer than before;
rhencctorth knew her ylOce ol cheer
The welcome Of her partial car
Years passed; through all the land lIcf name
4 pleasant household word became
NI felt behind the singer stood
4 sweet and gracious w0manhood
Her life was earnest work, not play
Il. H.. 4 IA
And even through her lightcst STRAIN
We heard an undcrtone OF pam
Unseen of her her fair fame grew.
rhc good she did she never knew,
i'nglcsscd of her in life the love
That raincd its tears her grave above,
When last ! saw her, full of peace,
She waited for her great release;
And that old friend 81 sage and bland,
our later Franklin, held her hand
For all that patri bosoms stirs
lad moved that wOman's heart Of hers,
And men who toilcd in storm ana sun
Found her their meet companion.
our converse, from her suffering bed
To heojtbful themes of life shc led;
rhc out door world of bud and bloom
And light and sweetness filled her room
Yet cyormorc an undcrthoueht
OF loss to come within US wrought.
And all the while we felt the strain
Ol the strong will that cone ncfcd pam
tod giycth ouictnc.s at last.
The common way that all have l&rrcl
She went, with mortal ycarulng fond
To fuller life and love beyond.
Fold the wrapt soul in your embrace.
Nv dear ones! Give the singer place,
Tn YOU, to her know not where
| lift the silence OF prayer.
For only thus our own we ind;
The gone before, the left behind,
An mortal voices die between:
The unbcard reaches The unseen.
Again the bIa, kbirds sing; the Strcdms
Wake, laughing. from their Winter dreams,
And trcmblc u, tn" Aprl @h"wcrs
The tasscls VI the maple llvwCrS.
But not for her has Spring renewed
The sweet surprises of the wood;
,nd bird and flower are lost to her
Who was their best Interpreters
What to shut eyes that God revealed?
What hear the ears that death hat h Scdlcu :
What undrcamcd beauty passing show
Require. the losS Of all VIC know!
o silent land, to which We move,
Enough if there alone be love:
Nnd mortal need can no'cr 0utgrow
What'it is waiting to bcstow.
Owhitc soul! from that far oil shore
Float some sweet song the waters DER.
our faith confirm, our fears diSpcl,
With the old voice We loved 50 well
atlantic Wo"ibi".