25 My sprightly neighbour, gone before To that unknown and silent shore, Shall we not meet, as heretofore, Some summer morning,

When from thy cheerful eyes a ray
30 Hath struck a bliss upon the day,
A bliss that would not go away,
A sweet fore-warning?

Thomas bood

1798-1845

THE DEATH BED

(From Poems, 1825)

We watched her breathing thro' the night,
Her breathing soft and low,
As in her breast the wave of life
Kept heaving to and fro.

5 So silently we seemed to speak,
So slowly moved about,

10

As we had lent her half our powers
To eke her living out.

Our very hopes belied our fears,

Our fears our hopes belied

We thought her dying when she slept,
And sleeping when she died.

For when the morn came dim and sad,
And chill with early showers,

15 Her quiet eyelids closed-she had
Another morn than ours.

THE BRIDGE OF SIGHS

("Drowned! drowned!"-Hamlet)

(First published in Hood's Magazine, 1844)
One more Unfortunate,
Weary of breath,
Rashly importunate,
Gone to her death!

5 Take her up tenderly,
Lift her with care;
Fashioned so slenderly,
Young, and so fair!

Look at her garments
10 Clinging like cerements;
Whilst the wave constantly
Drips from her clothing;
Take her up instantly,
Loving, not loathing.-

15 Touch her not scornfully;
Think of her mournfully,
Gently and humanly;
Not of the stains of her,
All that remains of her
20 Now is pure womanly.

Make no deep scrutiny
Into her mutiny
Rash and undutiful:

Past all dishonor,

25 Death has left on her
Only the beautiful.

Still, for all slips of hers,

One of Eve's family-
Wipe those poor lips of hers

30 Oozing so clammily.

Loop up her tresses

Escaped from the comb, Her fair auburn tresses; Whilst wonderment guesses 35 Where was her home?

Who was her father?
Who was her mother?
Had she a sister?

Had she a brother?

40 Or was there a dearer one Still, and a nearer one Yet, than all other?

Alas! for the rarity
Of Christian charity
45 Under the sun!
Oh! it was pitiful!
Near a whole city full,
Home she had none.

Sisterly, brotherly,

50 Fatherly, motherly
Feelings had changed:
Love, by harsh evidence,
Thrown from its eminence;
Even God's providence

55 Seeming estranged.

Where the lamps quiver
So far in the river,

With many a light

From window and casement, 60 From garret to basement,

She stood, with amazement,
Houseless by night.

The bleak wind of March Made her tremble and shiver; 65 But not the dark arch, Or the black flowing river: Mad from life's history, Glad to death's mystery, Swift to be hurled― 70 Anywhere, anywhere Out of the world.

In she plunged boldly,
No matter how coldly
The rough river ran,—
75 Over the brink of it,
Picture it-think of it,
Dissolute Man!

Lave in it, drink of it,
Then, if you can!

80 Take her up tenderly,
Lift her with care;
Fashioned so slenderly,
Young, and so fair!

Ere her limbs frigidly

85 Stiffen too rigidly,

Decently, kindly,

Smooth, and compose them;
And her eyes, close them,
Staring so blindly!

90 Dreadfully staring
Thro' muddy impurity,
As when with the daring
Last look of despairing
Fix'd on futurity.

95 Perishing gloomily,
Spurred by contumely,
Cold inhumanity,
Burning insanity,

Into her rest.

100 Cross her hands humbly
As if praying dumbly,
Over her breast.

Owning her weakness,
Her evil behavior,

105 And leaving, with meekness, Her sins to her Saviour!