THE BRIDE'S REVERIE.

Lonely to-night, oh, loved one! is our dwelling,

And lone and wearily hath gone the day;

For thou, whose presence like a flood is swelling

With joy my life-tide—thou art far away.

And wearily for me will go the morrow,

While for thy voice, thy smile, I vainly yearn;

Oh, from fond thought some comfort I will borrow,

To wile away the hours till thou return!

I will remember that first, sweet revealing

Wherewith thy love o'er my tranced being stole;

I, like the Pythoness enraptured, feeling

The god divine pervading all my soul.

I will remember each fond aspiration

In secret milled with thy cherished name,

Till from thy lips, in wildering modulation,

Those words of ecstasy "I love thee!" came.

And I will think of all our blest communing,

And all thy low-breathed words of tenderness;

Thy voice to me its melody attuning

Till every tone seemed fraught with a caress.

And feel thee near me, while in thought repeating

The treasured memories thou alone dost share

Hark! with hushed breath and pulses wildly beating

I hear thy footstep bounding o'er the stair!

And I no longer to my heart am telling

The weary weight of loneliness it bore;

For thou, whose love makes heaven within our dwelling,

Thou art returned, and all is joy once more.