The Van Buren press., 1874-12-15
POET
For the Pass.
My Mothers Grave.
By EDw ARD.

In a cold, drcary land, where willows are
weeping,
Loading the air with their piteous moan,
While the shadows of e'entide around me ar,
creeping,
By my mothers grave am standing alone
Long and sad are the years chat have silently
fled,
prest,
Since | stood, sad in heart, by the side of hel
bed,
And heard the sweet words with which
was blest.
What a fcelhs of pain Sysr'hr0aded my
heart,
Asl watch'd the pale shal ss o'erspreaciiHs
her face
As knew, that ere long, for fore'er we mus
part,
We must journey no more IA life's wcarying
race.
How list ned with grief to the tones of he'
voice,
Growing weaker and weaker with each com
ing Dfeath,
As she babe us weep not, fo- her soul did re-
joce,
AS she journey in peace by the river OF
death. a
Oh. how tender and sweet, Trough the drift
of the years
That have sped swift away since stood by
her grave,
Come the cold, heavy clods that so caught all
my tears,
And impress ev'ry counsel her parting words
gave.
am standing in thought, BY the dear ten
der spot,
Where the lilly, so pure, lifts its head 'bove
her breast,
And there strolls through my mind JOY
newly bcgot,
As stand by the grave where her sweet
ashes rest.
As the cool Winter winds now go whistling
around,
And e'er chaunt their requiem dilge o'cr.her
grave,
To my soul they eer bringa grief sadly pro-
found,
As they mournfully thro' the still church
yard do wave.
Itwas summer when quiet they laid her to
sleep.
While Il beautiful sky looked down from
above,
And at e'entde the heavens sweet dew-drops
did weep,
Aye they wept' as they ,,lently told of our
love,
Zen the roses planted, years asone in the
sod,
Have faded and withered and gone to de-
cay,
And their perfume and incense, II sweet
prayer to God.
To the skies have been borne for her soul
every day.
has now scared.
And its blades has bowed as though SORROW
ful too,
While the tcar-drops of nature have also ap-
peared
And have added their mite to the long, last
adeu.
There's score of long years that have quiz
city flown,
As though on the eagles swift wings they
were borne.
Since. as brothers and sisters we ALL stood
alone,
And bewail'd our bereavement SO intensely
forlorn.
We are scattered, tonight, oh. so far, FAR
apart,
We may cluster no more, in heart-grief by
thy grave,
Yet thy boy would return with sad, smittcn
heart
To the grave of the one who his earth-life
gave.
Oh my mother. DO hear me, for methinks
thou art near.
As, in fancy, kncel where thy sacred dust
sleeps,
And my sobs thou canst hear, as they wall so
drcar,
From the gushing heartwcls Of sweet
memory's deeps.
Oh. my mother, forgive every child-wrong of
mine,
Ev'ry look, and each word that has given
thee pain:
As my guardian angel. from portals divine
Oh. my mother, my footsteps from evil
restrain
Oh. thou dearest Of all the dear places on
earth,
Blessed spot, ever sacred, blessed ground
ever sweet,
How love to turn away from the revels OF
mirth.
And beside thy dear grave find my mag
niHgs complete.
Yes, Tonight am standing where memory s
glass
Reflects long my way all liic's light and its
gloom.
And as fore my minds eye the weird picture
does pass,
thank God for the vision of MOTHER $
DEAR TOMB.
"Ill give you half dollar if you'll
,,o,, ,,histlin,y thal tune - Tho boy had