An Orphan's Lament

She's gone — and twice the summer's sun

Has gilt Regina's towers,

And melted wild Angora's snows,

And warmed Exina's bowers.

The flowerets twice on hill and dale

Have bloomed and died away,

And twice the rustling forest leaves

Have fallen to decay,

And thrice stern winter's icy hand

Has checked the river's flow,

And three times o'er the mountains thrown

His spotless robe of snow.

Two summers springs and autumns sad

Three winters cold and grey —

And is it then so long ago

That wild November day!

They say such tears as children weep

Will soon be dried away,

That childish grief however strong

Is only for a day,

And parted friends how dear soe'er

Will soon forgotten be;

It may be so with other hearts,

It is not thus with me.

My mother, thou wilt weep no more

For thou art gone above,

But can I ever cease to mourn

Thy good and fervent love?

While that was mine the world to me

Was sunshine bright and fair;

No feeling rose within my heart

But thou couldst read it there.

And thou couldst feel for all my joys

And all my childish cares

And never weary of my play

Or scorn my foolish fears.

Beneath thy sweet maternal smile

All pain and sorrow fled,

And even the very tears were sweet

Upon thy bosom shed.

Thy loss can never be repaired;

I shall not know again

While life remains, the peaceful joy

That filled my spirit then.

Where shall I find a heart like thine

While life remains to me,

And where shall I bestow the love

I ever bore for thee?

A.H.