The two children

Heavy hangs the rain-drop

From the burdened spray;

Heavy broods the damp mist

On uplands far away.

Heavy looms the dull sky,

Heavy rolls the sea;

And heavy throbs the young heart

Beneath that lonely tree.

Never has a blue streak

Cleft the clouds since morn;

Never has his grim fate

Smiled since he was born.

Frowning on the infant,

Shadowing childhood's joy

Guardian-angel knows not

That melancholy boy.

Day is passing swiftly

Its sad and sombre prime;

Boyhood sad is merging

In sadder manhood's time:

All the flowers are praying

For sun, before they close,

And he prays too—unconscious—

That sunless human rose.

Blossom—that the west-wind

Has never wooed to blow,

Scentless are thy petals,

Thy dew is cold as snow!

Soul—where kindred kindness,

No early promise woke,

Barren is thy beauty,

As weed upon a rock.

Wither—soul and blossom!

You both were vainly given;

Earth reserves no blessing

For the unblest of heaven!

Child of delight, with sun-bright hair,

And sea-blue, sea-deep eyes!

Spirit of bliss! What brings thee here

Beneath these sullen skies?

Thou shouldst live in eternal spring,

Where endless day is never dim;

Why, Seraph, has thine erring wing

Wafted thee down to weep with him?

"Ah! not from heaven am I descended,

Nor do I come to mingle tears;

But sweet is day, though with shadows blended;

And, though clouded, sweet are youthful years.

"I—the image of light and gladness—

Saw and pitied that mournful boy,

And I vowed—if need were—to share his sadness,

And give to him my sunny joy.

"Heavy and dark the night is closing;

Heavy and dark may its biding be:

Better for all from grief reposing,

And better for all who watch like me—

"Watch in love by a fevered pillow,

Cooling the fever with pity's balm

Safe as the petrel on tossing billow,

Safe in mine own soul's golden calm!

"Guardian-angel he lacks no longer;

Evil fortune he need not fear:

Fate is strong, but love is stronger;

And MY love is truer than angel-care."