THAT SILENT MOON. Dispersed along the world's wide way, When friends are far, and fond ones rove, How powerful, too, to hearts that mourn, And oft she looks, that silent moon, On lonely eyes that wake to weep, In dungeon dark, or sacred cell, Or couch, whence pain has banished sleep: O, softly beams that gentle eye, On those who mourn, and those who die. But beam on whomsoe'er she will, And fall where'er her splendour may, There's pureness in her chastened light, There's comfort in her tranquil ray: What power is hers to soothe the heart What power the trembing tear to start! 205 206 THAT SILENT MOON. The dewy morn let others love, Or bask them in the noontide ray; TO TIME. BY W. H. TIMRO D. THEY slander thee, "old traveller," Is to scatter ruin far and wide In thy wantonness of might, For not a leaf that falleth Before thy restless wings, But thou changest in thy rapid flight, Thou passest o'er the battle-field Where the dead lie stiff and stark, Where nought is heard, save the vulture's scream, From the blood enriched clay, And the waving corn-tops seem to dance, Thou hast strewn the lordly palace, In ruin o'er the ground, And the dismal screech of the owl is heard Where the harp was wont to sound, But the self-same spot thou coverest, 'Tis true thy progress layeth Thou hast caused our tears to flow, But "always" near the couch of death And the breath of thy departing wings Dries all our tears away. 'TIS A LOWLY GRAVE. BY W. G. SIMMS. 'Tis a lowly grave but it suits her best, Since it breathes of fragrance and speaks of rest, And meet for her is its calm repose, Whose life was so stormy and sad to its close. 'Tis a shady dell where they laid her form, A trickling stream, as it winds below, It is sweet to think, that when life is o'er, |