L. E. L.'S LAST QUESTION. IV. And when the glory of her dream withdrew, By tears the solemn seas attested true,- V. Hers was the hand that played for many a year VI. Could she not wait to catch their answering breath? Those stars content, where last her song had gone,— -as soon Their singer was to be, in darksome death?* VII. Bring your vain answers-cry, 'We think of thee!' How think ye of her? warm in long ago Delights?-or crowned with budding bays? Not so. None smile and none are crowned where lieth she, * Her lyric on the polar star came home with her latest papers. L. E. L.'S LAST QUESTION. 'Do you think of me as I think of you?' From her poem written during the voyage to the Cape. I. 'Do you think of me as I think of you, My friends, my friends?'-She said it from the sea, While, under brighter skies than erst she knew, II. It seemed not much to ask-as I of you? III. Love-learned she had sung of love and love,- Whatever household noises round him move, IV. And when the glory of her dream withdrew, By tears the solemn seas attested true,— V. Hers was the hand that played for many a year VI. Could she not wait to catch their answering breath? Those stars content, where last her song had gone,- VII. Bring your vain answers-cry, 'We think of thee!' How think ye of her? warm in long ago Delights? —or crowned with budding bays? Not so. None smile and none are crowned where lieth she, *Her lyric on the polar star came home with her latest papers. With all her visions unfulfilled save one, Her childhood's-of the palm-trees in the sun— And lo! their shadow on her sepulchre! VIII. 'Do ye think of me as I think of you?'— Why press so near each other when the touch Is barred by graves? Not much, and yet too much, Is this 'Think of me as I think of you.' IX. But while on mortal lips I shape anew CROWNED AND WEDDED. I. WHEN last before her people's face her own fair face she bent, Within the meek projection of that shade she was content To erase the child-smile from her lips, which seemed as if it might Be still kept holy from the world to childhood still in sight To erase it with a solemn vow,—a princely vow-to rule; A priestly vow-to rule by grace of God the pitiful; A very godlike vow-to rule in right and righteous ness, -so God the And with the law and for the land! vower bless! II. The minster was alight that day, but not with fire, I ween, And long-drawn glitterings swept adown that mighty aisled scene. The priests stood stolëd in their pomp, the sworded chiefs in theirs, And so, the collared knights, and so, the civil ministers, ind so, the waiting lords and dames-and little pages best At holding trains and legates so, from countries east and west. |