Edmund Clarence Stedman, ed. (1833–1908). An American Anthology, 1787–1900. 1900.

By WilliamWinter

664 Adelaide Neilson

AND oh, to think the sun can shine,

The birds can sing, the flowers can bloom,

And she, whose soul was all divine,

Be darkly mouldering in the tomb:

That o’er her head the night-wind sighs,

And the sad cypress droops and moans;

That night has veiled her glorious eyes,

And silence hushed her heavenly tones:

That those sweet lips no more can smile,

Nor pity’s tender shadows chase,

With many a gentle, child-like wile,

The rippling laughter o’er her face:

That dust is on the burnished gold

That floated round her royal head;

That her great heart is dead and cold—

Her form of fire and beauty dead!

Roll on, gray earth and shining star,

And coldly mock our dreams of bliss;

There is no glory left to mar,

Nor any grief so black as this!