GIVE ME THE HOUR.

1.

Give me the hour of day’s decline

To muse upon my own,

To call from Earth each wish of mine,

And dream of Heaven alone;

And let nor voice, nor foot intrude

Upon my meditative mood,

As stretched in lonely cell or bower,

I feel the shades, that o’er the lea,

Come lengthening till they fall on me

And veil my pensive hour.

2.

For I have loved the Eventide,

While yet I knew not why;

But now, since early friends have died,

’Tis dear as memory.

It minds me of their quiet sleep

’Neath many a grassy mound; or deep

The floods of far-off seas below!

It tells me how my years steal on,

How strong and lovely ones have gone,

And how we all must go!

3.

My name shall ne’er be writ with those

Whose friendships death can end;

No grave upon my love can close,

No tomb take all my friend;

Not only in communion blest,

I share their beatific rest,

But oft to ev’n mine earthly ken,

Their Death seems but a signet set,

To love, whose converse passeth yet,

All life with worldly men.

4.

To think of names, once daily heard,

That now are read in stone,

And know each gesture, look, and word,

Familiar smile and tone,

As all would be, could they but still

Give hand and heart with thine to thrill,

This is a pure though sad delight!

And such is mine, at that sweet hour

When wakes the star, and dies the flower,

As sunset turns to night.

5.

Thus ye come back, my own dear dead,

From Paradise’s door,

To fill with feelings hallowed,

The world ye blessed before!

When we were mates, ye drew with mine,

Life’s pictured way, in equal line,

Nor dreamed we, ye were near its goal;

Where hand-in-hand we thought to be,

Ye’ve left a lonely race to me;

Ah, shall I run the whole!