JEAN INGELOW.

1830.

THE LONG WHITE SEAM. A s I came round the harbor buoy, The lights began to gleam, No wave the land-locked water stirred, The crags were white as cream; And I marked my love by candle-light Sewing her long white seam. It ’s aye sewing ashore, my dear, Watch and steer at sea, It ’s reef and furl, and haul the line, Set sail and think of thee. I climbed to reach her cottage door; O sweetly my love sings! Like a shaft of light her voice breaks forth, My soul to meet it springs As the shining water leaped of old, When stirred by angel wings. Aye longing to list anew, Awake and in my dream, But never a song she sang like this, Sewing her long white seam. Fair fall the lights, the harbor lights, That brought me in to thee, And peace drop down on that low roof For the sight that I did see, And the voice, my dear, that rang so clear All for the love of me. For O, for O, with brows bent low By the candle’s flickering gleam, Her wedding gown it was she wrought, Sewing the long white seam.
LOVE.
FROM “SONGS OF SEVEN.” I leaned out of window, I smelt the white clover, Dark, dark was the garden, I saw not the gate; “Now, if there be footsteps, he comes, my one lover— Hush, nightingale, hush! O, sweet nightingale, wait Till I listen and hear If a step draweth near, For my love he is late! “The skies in the darkness stoop nearer and nearer, A cluster of stars hangs like fruit in the tree, The fall of the water comes sweeter, comes clearer: To what art thou listening, and what dost thou see? Let the star-clusters grow, Let the sweet waters flow, And cross quickly to me. “You night moths that hover where honey brims over From sycamore blossoms, or settle or sleep; You glowworms, shine out, and the pathway discover To him that comes darkling along the rough steep. Ah, my sailor, make haste, For the time runs to waste, And my love lieth deep— “Too deep for swift telling; and yet, my one lover, I ’ve conned thee an answer, it waits thee to-night.” By the sycamore passed he, and through the white clover, Then all the sweet speech I had fashioned took flight; But I ’ll love him more, more Than e’er wife loved before, Be the days dark or bright.
SWEET IS CHILDHOOD. S weet is childhood—childhood ’s over, Kiss and part. Sweet is youth; but youth ’s a rover— So ’s my heart. Sweet is rest; but by all showing Toil is nigh. We must go. Alas! the going, Say “good-bye.”

CHARLES KINGSLEY.

1819-1875.