And while earth was cloven beneath me, feel no shock nor under-
stand?

No, you cannot, could not alter. No, my faith builds safe on

yours,
Rock-like; though the winds and waves howl, its foundation still

endures :
By a man's will — "See, I hold thee: mine thou art, and mine

Shalt be."
By a woman's patience — "Sooner doubt I my own soul than

thee."

So, Heaven mend us! well together once again take counsel

sweet ;
Though this hand of mine drops empty, that blank wall my blank

eyes meet :
Life may flow on: men be faithless, — ay, forsooth, and women

too!
One is true; and as He liveth, I believe in truth — 2indyou,



POEMS. 155



ONE SUMMER MORNING.
It is but a little while ago i

The elm-leaves have scarcely begun to drop away ;

The sunbeams strike the elm-trunk just where they struck that day-
Yet all seems to have happened long ago.
And the year rolls round, slow, slow :
Autumn will fade to winter and winter melt in spring,
New life return again to every living thing.
Soon, this will have happened long ago.
The bonnie wee flowers will blow ;
The trees will re-clothe themselves, the birds sing out amain,—
But never, never, never will the world look again

As it looked before this happened — long ago !



MY LOVE ANNIE.
Soft of voice and^ight of hand
As the fairest in the land —
Who can rightly understand
My love Annie?

Simple in her thoughts and ways.
True in every word she says, —
Who shall even dare to praise
My love Annie?



156 POEMS.
Midst a naughty world and rade
Never in ungentle mood ;
Never tired of being good —
My love Annie.
