A Farewell.

Go, sun, since go you must,     The dusky evening lowers above our sky,     Our sky which was so blue and sweetly fair;     Night is not terrible that we should sigh.     A little darkness we can surely bear;     Will there not be more sunshine--by and by?     Go, rose, since go you must,     Flowerless and chill the winter draweth nigh;     Closed are the blithe and fragrant lips which made     All summer long perpetual melody.     Cheerless we take our way, but not afraid:     Will there not be more roses--by and by?     Go, love, since go you must,     Out of our pain we bless you as you fly;     The momentary heaven the rainbow lit     Was worth whole days of black and stormy sky;     Shall we not see, as by the waves we sit,     Your bright sail winging shoreward--by and by?     Go, life, since go you must,     Uncertain guest and whimsical ally!     All questionless you came, unquestioned go;     What does it mean to live, or what to die?     Smiling we watch you vanish, for we know     Somewhere is nobler living--by and by.