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النشر الإلكتروني
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Upon its midnight battle-ground
The spectral camp is seen;
And with a sorrowful, deep sound,
Flows the River of Life between.

No other voice nor sound is there
In the army of the grave;
No other challenge breaks the air
But the rushing of Life's wave.

And, when the solemn and deep church-bell
Entreats the soul to pray,

The midnight phantoms feel the spell,

The shadows sweep away.

Down the broad Vale of Tears afar

The spectral camp is fled : Faith shineth as a morning-star; Our ghastly fears are dead.

MAIDENHOOD.

MAIDEN with the meek, brown eyes,
In whose orbs a shadow lies

Like the dusk in evening skies!

Thou whose locks outshine the sun,-
Golden tresses, wreathed in one,
As the braided streamlets run!

Standing with reluctant feet
Where the brook and river meet,
Womanhood and childhood fleet!

Gazing with a timid glance

On the brooklet's swift advance,
On the river's broad expanse!

Deep and still, that gliding stream
Beautiful to thee must seem
As the river of a dream.

Then why pause with indecision,
When bright angels in thy vision
Beckon thee to fields Elysian?

Seest thou shadows sailing by,
As the dove, with startled eye,
Sees the falcon's shadow fly?

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The prayer is said,

The service read;

The joyous bridegroom bows his head;
And in tears the good old master
Shakes the brown hand of his son,
Kisses his daughter's glowing cheek
In silence, for he can not speak;
And ever faster

Down his own the tears begin to run.
The worthy pastor -

The shepherd of that wandering flock
That has the ocean for its wold,
That has the vessel for its fold,
Leaping ever from rock to rock-
Spake, with accents mild and clear,
Words of warning, words of cheer,
But tedious to the bridegroom's ear.
He knew the chart

Of the sailor's heart,

All its pleasures and its griefs;
All its shallows and rocky reefs;
All those secret currents that flow
With such resistless undertow,

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