It lies in heaven, across the flood Beneath, the tides of day and night Around her, lovers, newly met And still she bowed herself and stooped Until her bosom must have made The bar she leaned on warm, And the lilies lay as if asleep From the fixed place of heaven she saw Through all the worlds. Her gaze still strove Within the gulf to pierce The path; and now she spoke as when The sun was gone now; the curled moon Fluttering far down the gulf; and now (Ah, sweet! even now, in that bird's song, Fain to be hearkened? When those bells Strove not her steps to reach my "I wish that he were come to me, For he will come," she said. side "Have I not prayed in heaven?—on earth, Lord, Lord, has he not prayed? Are not two prayers a perfect strength? And shall I feel afraid? "When round his head the aureole clings, And he is clothed in white, I'll take his hand and go with him As unto a stream we will step down, "We two will stand beside that shrine, Whose lamps are stirred continually And see our old prayers, granted, melt "We two will lie i' the shadow of That living mystic tree, Within whose secret growth the Dove Is sometimes felt to be, While every leaf that His plumes touch "And I myself will teach to him, The songs I sing here; which his voice "We two," she said, "will seek the groves Where the Lady Mary is, With her five handmaidens, whose names "Circlewise sit they, with bound locks To fashion the birth-robes for them "He shall fear, haply, and be dumb; To his, and tell about our love, "Herself shall bring us, hand in hand, "There will I ask of Christ the Lord Thus much for him and me: Only to live as once on earth As then awhile, for ever now She gazed and listened, and then said, She ceased. (I saw her smile.) But soon their path And laid her face between her hands 'Tis fine to see the Old World, and travel up and down Among the famous palaces and cities of renown, To admire the crumbly castles and the statues of the kings, But now I think I've had enough of antiquated things. So it's home again, and home again, America for me! My heart is turning home again, and there I long to be, In the land of youth and freedom beyond the ocean bars, Where the air is full of sunlight and the flag is full of stars. Oh, London is a man's town, there's power in the air; And Paris is a woman's town, with flowers in her hair; And it's sweet to dream in Venice, and it's great to study Rome; But when it comes to living there is no place like home. I like the German fir-woods, in green battalions drilled; I like the gardens of Versailles with flashing fountains filled; But, oh, to take your hand, my dear, and ramble for a day In the friendly western woodland where Nature has her way! I know that Europe's wonderful, yet something seems to lack: The Past is too much with her, and the people looking back. But the glory of the Present is to make the Future free,We love our land for what she is and what she is to be. Oh, it's home again, and home again, America for me! With fingers weary and worn, In poverty, hunger and dirt, And still with a voice of dolorous pitch "Work! work! work! While the cock is crowing aloof! Till the stars shine through the roof! Along with the barbarous Turk, Where a woman has never a soul to save, "Work-work-work Til the brain begins to swim; Till the eyes are heavy and dim! Band, and gusset, and seam, "U men, with sisters dear! O men, with mothers and wives! In poverty, hunger, and dirt,- |