IX.
O beautiful sad day!
All of earthly must we lay
In the silent grave away.
And the very Winter, pale
At the sight of so much grief,
From her harshness will relent;
Stoop to brush away the snow
From the frozen earth below
Where the noble dead shall lie.
Let no glorious dome less high
Than the over-arching sky
Bend above that royal grave;
And for living monument,
Over it shall rise and wave
Living flower and living leaf.
Lay your costly roses down,
Civic wreath and cross and crown;
These are frail!
Spring shall be your sentinel;
Guarding now untiring here
All of what we held so dear,
All of what we loved so well!
Lay your costly roses down,
Civic wreath and crown and cross;
Turn away with hearts made great
By the greatness of your loss!
Spring shall wait;—
To her sacred care entrust
All of what is left us here:—
Dust to dust!
Lay your costly roses down,
Civic wreath and cross and crown;
These are frail!
In the dim, unwonted shade,
These will fade!
But when next ye come this way,
Ye shall find the Spring still here;
And a grave with violets set;
Purple, living violet,
With the tears of heaven wet.