TO JENNIE.
Farewell my darling, fare thee well,
Life hence has only dearth;
With thee it were too sweet a dream—
Too much Heaven, for earth.
Thou dost not know the depth of pain
This parting gives to me,
Nor how, as time drags weary on,
My soul will sigh for thee.
Each loved one that thou leavest here,
Some other love may wear,
Each heart will have some other heart
Its loneliness to share.
But I have nothing, darling, left—
You're all the world to me—
And only God and Heaven can know
The love I give to thee.
WATCHING THE SHADOWS.
Watching the shadows, the fire-light shadows,
That gather and play on the wall;
Dark, flitting shadows, fanciful shadows,
That gather and rise and fall.
Reading the fire shadows' language of shadows,
Pages of darkness and light—
Watching, watching,
Watching the shadows to-night.
Watching the shadows, the fire-light shadows,
That over the wall fitful play;
Dreaming of shadows, dreaming of shadows,
Deep darker shadows than they.
Heart-shading shadows, soul-darkening shadows,
Flitting in memory's light—
Dreaming, dreaming,
Watching the shadows to-night.
Watching the shadows, the fire-light shadows,
Merrily dancing about,
Wondering if heart-shadows vanish like shadows,
When life's fitful flame has gone out;
Wondering if shadows are deep, darker shadows,
Aeons of ages of blight;
Wondering, wondering,
Watching the shadows to-night.