Poems (Ford)/The Departed
For works with similar titles, see The Departed.
THE DEPARTED.
How fondly does the heart recall
The friends of vanished years,
The peaceful dead, who calmly rest,
Unmoved by hopes or fears;
Visions of light and love, they come
Into the heart, like dreams of home,
And melt the soul to tears.
The friends of vanished years,
The peaceful dead, who calmly rest,
Unmoved by hopes or fears;
Visions of light and love, they come
Into the heart, like dreams of home,
And melt the soul to tears.
Their voices often on our ears
In silvery cadence fall,
Like some sweet song, almost forgot,
That we would fain recall;
When Memory sweeps the heart-harp's chords,
Echoes of long forgotten words
Breathe round us at her call.
In silvery cadence fall,
Like some sweet song, almost forgot,
That we would fain recall;
When Memory sweeps the heart-harp's chords,
Echoes of long forgotten words
Breathe round us at her call.
Like whispers of a summer breeze
That on its airy wings
From hill and lea, from grove and vale,
The balm of blossoms brings,
They come to us in silent hours,
Like strains that in celestial bowers
Some wandering seraph sings.
That on its airy wings
From hill and lea, from grove and vale,
The balm of blossoms brings,
They come to us in silent hours,
Like strains that in celestial bowers
Some wandering seraph sings.
The faces of our loved and dead
Arise before our gaze;
The smiles that tinged with light the clouds
Of long departed days,
Oft in our loneliness come back,
To light us o'er life's darkened track
With hope's celestial rays.
Arise before our gaze;
The smiles that tinged with light the clouds
Of long departed days,
Oft in our loneliness come back,
To light us o'er life's darkened track
With hope's celestial rays.
Oh, faces shrouded from our view,
Oh, voices silent long,
We would not call you back to earth
For sweetest smile or song—
Here time or doubt may friends estrange,
In heaven the heart can never change
Or chill at fancied wrong.
Oh, voices silent long,
We would not call you back to earth
For sweetest smile or song—
Here time or doubt may friends estrange,
In heaven the heart can never change
Or chill at fancied wrong.
To us ye are as beacon lights
Upon the heavenly shore;
While o'er life's changing sea we drift,
And hear its breakers roar,
With outstretched arms ye bid us come,
And smile a joyous welcome home
Where parting is no more.
Upon the heavenly shore;
While o'er life's changing sea we drift,
And hear its breakers roar,
With outstretched arms ye bid us come,
And smile a joyous welcome home
Where parting is no more.