Written In A Cemetery.

Stay yet awhile, oh flowers!--oh wandering grasses,         And creeping ferns, and climbing, clinging vines;--     Bend down and cover with lush odorous masses             My darling's couch, where he in sleep reclines.     Stay yet awhile;--let not the chill October         Plant spires of glinting frost about his bed;     Nor shower her faded leaves, so brown and sober,         Among the tuberoses above his head.     I would have all things fair, and sweet, and tender,--         The daisy's pearl, the cowslip's shield of snow,     And fragrant hyacinths in purple splendour,         About my darling's grassy couch to grow.     Oh birds!--small pilgrims of the summer weather,         Come hither, for my darling loved ye well;--     Here floats the thistle down for you to gather,         And bearded grasses ripen in the dell.     Here pipe, and plume your wings, and chirp and flutter,         And swing, light-poised upon the pendant bough;--     Fondly I deem he hears the calls ye utter,         And stirs in his light sleep to answer you.     Oh wind!--that blows through hours of nights and lonely,         Oh rain!--that sobs against my window pane,--     Ye beat upon my heart, which beats but only         To clasp and shelter my lost lamb again.     Peace--peace, my soul:--I know that in another         And brighter land my darling walks and waits,     Where we shall surely meet and clasp each other,         Beyond the threshold of the shining gates.