Sing in the silent sky, Glad soaring bird; Sing out thy notes on high To sunbeam straying by Or passing cloud; Heedless if thou art heard Sing thy full song aloud.
O that it were with me As with the flower; Blooming on its own tree For butterfly and bee Its summer morns: That I might bloom mine hour A rose in spite of thorns.
O that my work were done As birds' that soar Rejoicing in the sun: That when my time is run And daylight too, I so might rest once more Cool with refreshing dew.
I plucked pink blossoms from mine apple-tree, And wore them all that evening in my hair: Then in due season when I went to see I found no apples there.
With dangling basket all along the grass As I had come I went the selfsame track: My neighbors mocked me while they saw me pass So empty-handed back.
Lilian and Lilias smiled in trudging by, Their heaped-up basket teased me like a jeer; Sweet-voiced they sang beneath the sunset sky, Their mother's home was near.
Plump Gertrude passed me with her basket full, A stronger hand than hers helped it along; A voice talked with her through the shadows cool More sweet to me than song.
Ah, Willie, Willie, was my love less worth Than apples with their green leaves piled above? I counted rosiest apples on the earth Of far less worth than love.
So once it was with me you stooped to talk Laughing and listening in this very lane: To think that by this way we used to walk We shall not walk again!
I let my neighbors pass me, ones and twos And groups; the latest said the night grew chill, And hastened: but I loitered, while the dews Fell fast I loitered still.
Two doves upon the selfsame branch, Two lilies on a single stem, Two butterflies upon one flower:-- O happy they who look on them.
Who look upon them hand in hand Flushed in the rosy summer light; Who look upon them hand in hand And never give a thought to night.
Out of the church she followed them With a lofty step and mien: His bride was like a village maid, Maude Clare was like a queen.
"Son Thomas," his lady mother said, With smiles, almost with tears: "May Nell and you but live as true As we have done for years;
"Your father thirty years ago Had just your tale to tell; But he was not so pale as you, Nor I so pale as Nell."