My Only Sister
The wild-flowers, Marg'ret, round thee up are springing,
And sending forth into the summer sky
Their pure hearts' incense. Unto me they seem
Thy guardian angels, ever watching thee,
And praying for thee in sweet nature's voice
So purely holy!
The light of love is in thine eye, my sister!
The open smile of joy is on thy brow,
Thy floating hair falls o'er a little heart
As innocent, as loving, and as pure,
As e'er on earth was loved with love like mine —
A brother's love!
Fair as the image of a poet's musings —
Pure as the dreams of childhood's vision hour —
Thou art to me; for thou dost love me so.
My heart shall never tire of loving thee;
And what the heart doth love grows beautiful
As a pure soul!
I would that I the dusky veil could sever
Which shades the future from my longing sight,
That I might watch thy onward way through life —
That I might know how best to save thy heart
From woe — thy feet from snares — thy eye from tears —
My darling sister!
O! can that silver light which aye is flowing
From watching-stars, as flows unfailingly
A river from its source, which looks upon
Thy childhood's glee — e'er see thee lone with woe,
A dweller in the dungeon-home of grief
With none to comfort?
I know not, sister; but if purity
Be ever watching o'er thy virgin soul,
And if thy heart be filled with steadfastness —
With trusting love — with truth that knows not guile —
Grief may be grievous, but thou'lt sternly bear,
My beautiful!
Who spake of grief? Can eyes so brightly beaming
With love, and hope, and joy, be filled with tears?
There is no heart so hard as do thee wrong,
Thou art so innocent: So brightly trusting
Would be thy smile into the face of pain,
It could not harm!
My sister! friends may fail, and thy affections
On instability may all be laid:
But, in thy hour of loneliness, when those
Thou lovest most have left thee — then through tears
Remember that thy brother's heart and hand
Are ever open!
The love of all may change; but his! — O! never
While time is flowing, nor beyend the grave.
Dishonor ne'er shall cast its shadow o'er thee
While life is in his heart: — Thy head shall rest
For ever on his breast, and he will guard thee
As doth thy mother!
And sending forth into the summer sky
Their pure hearts' incense. Unto me they seem
Thy guardian angels, ever watching thee,
And praying for thee in sweet nature's voice
So purely holy!
The light of love is in thine eye, my sister!
The open smile of joy is on thy brow,
Thy floating hair falls o'er a little heart
As innocent, as loving, and as pure,
As e'er on earth was loved with love like mine —
A brother's love!
Fair as the image of a poet's musings —
Pure as the dreams of childhood's vision hour —
Thou art to me; for thou dost love me so.
My heart shall never tire of loving thee;
And what the heart doth love grows beautiful
As a pure soul!
I would that I the dusky veil could sever
Which shades the future from my longing sight,
That I might watch thy onward way through life —
That I might know how best to save thy heart
From woe — thy feet from snares — thy eye from tears —
My darling sister!
O! can that silver light which aye is flowing
From watching-stars, as flows unfailingly
A river from its source, which looks upon
Thy childhood's glee — e'er see thee lone with woe,
A dweller in the dungeon-home of grief
With none to comfort?
I know not, sister; but if purity
Be ever watching o'er thy virgin soul,
And if thy heart be filled with steadfastness —
With trusting love — with truth that knows not guile —
Grief may be grievous, but thou'lt sternly bear,
My beautiful!
Who spake of grief? Can eyes so brightly beaming
With love, and hope, and joy, be filled with tears?
There is no heart so hard as do thee wrong,
Thou art so innocent: So brightly trusting
Would be thy smile into the face of pain,
It could not harm!
My sister! friends may fail, and thy affections
On instability may all be laid:
But, in thy hour of loneliness, when those
Thou lovest most have left thee — then through tears
Remember that thy brother's heart and hand
Are ever open!
The love of all may change; but his! — O! never
While time is flowing, nor beyend the grave.
Dishonor ne'er shall cast its shadow o'er thee
While life is in his heart: — Thy head shall rest
For ever on his breast, and he will guard thee
As doth thy mother!
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