SUNSHINE.
Over the glad earth, with her robe of beauty,
Glideth the Spring;
Pouring out perfume from a thousand censers
The peach-wands swing.
Down through the sunny vista of the orchard
Tender green glows,
Gnarled apple-boughs arrayed in robes of splendor
Pearl tint and rose.
Out from the dead leaves and the soft green mosses,
Like joy from pain,
Trailing arbutus, the sweet May evangel,
Bloometh again.
Who can remember, in this wealth of beauty,
How April came?
Crowned with a frost wreath on her pallid forehead,
And snow-star rain.
Yet ‘neath the shadow of the wing of winter
Nature’s heart beat,
Golden wine surging through each rugged column
Like dancing feet.
Thus, my belovèd! though upon us shadows
Coldly may fall,
God worketh slowly with the germs of beauty
Given to all.
Out from the shadow of our solemn parting
Shall sweet hope spring;
Faith, to an altar where the fire is hallowed,
Her gifts will bring.
Grace hath not left thee; it but sleeps, belovèd.
Through wintry hours,
Waiting the footsteps of the soul’s glad spring-time
To wake the flow’rs.
What though the sadness of an earthly parting
On us be laid?
In the bright sunshine of the blest hereafter
Shadows shall fade.