Gone Before

ONE of God's own Darlings was my bosom's nestling Dove,
With her looks of love and sunshine, and hervoice so rich and low:
How it trembled through my life, like an Immortal'skiss of love!
How its music yearns through all my memorynow!
How her beauty rainbows round me, and her sweetsmile, silverly
As a song, fills all the silence of the Midnight'scharmèd hours;
And I know from out her grave she'll send herlove in death to me,
By the Spring in smiling utterance of Flowers.

O my Love, too good for Earth, has gone into theland of light;
It was hard, she s aid, to leave me, but the Lordhad need of her;
And she walks the heavens in glory like a Star i' the crown of Night,
With the Beautiful and Blessed minglingthere.—
Gone before me, to be clothed in a bridal robe ofwhite,
Where Love's blossom comes to fruit, and allits suffering's glorified!
May my love but make me meet and worthy ofher presence bright
That in heaven I may claim her as my Bride.