Classic Poem

The last, last word, — oh, let it tell
The inmost soul of love — Fare well!
Fare well in heart, in health, in store,
In going out, in coming in;
And when to slumber you incline,
May man's respect and woman's smile
And childhood's prattle to beguile,
Be yours, be yours, for evermore!
By every impulse that can swell
A loving heart, fare well, fare well!

Fare well, — the lights grow dim; the tear
Lingers and sparkles in the eye;
" So mote it be! " I faintly hear
Winged on the breath of answering sigh.
It is the voice of sympathy,
It tells of a fraternal tie
Once, twice and thrice about us wound
When first on consecrated ground
We walked the dark, mysterious round.
By all the secrets it doth tell
Of Bonds and Links and Ties, fare well!

Fare well! what other word besides
Conveys the spirit of God's Word ,
Around, above, beneath whose lids
We tied the indissoluble cord?
Had I the tongue with power to say
All that the hand expert can tell
Of signs and grips and mystic way
I could but say, but say fare well!
I could but say, " May God thus do
By me should ever I prove untrue! "
And my choked utterance would prove
How weak are words to tell my love.

Then let the Hand speak what it should,
And call to witness noblest things;
The bounding heart responds and brings
Its godlike power to compass good.
The answering heavens admit the plea,
And vouch a present Deity;
Angels my loving wishes swell,
And God himself proclaims, — fare well!