A Shadow of the Night

Close on the edge of a midsummer dawn In troubled dreams I went from land to land, Each seven-colored like the rainbow’s arc, Regions where never fancy’s foot had trod Till then; yet all the strangeness seemed not strange, At which I wondered, reasoning in my dream With two-fold sense, well knowing that I slept. At last I came to this our cloud-hung earth, And somewhere by the seashore was a grave, A woman’s grave, new-made, and heaped with flowers; And near it stood an ancient holy man That fain would comfort me, who sorrowed not For this unknown dead woman at my feet. But I, because his sacred office held My reverence, listened; and ’t was thus he spake: “When next thou comest thou shalt find her still In all the rare perfection that she was. Thou shalt have gentle greeting of thy love! Her eyelids will have turned to violets, Her bosom to white lilies, and her breath To roses. What is lovely never dies, But passes into other loveliness, Star-dust, or sea-foam, flower, or wingëd air. If this befalls our poor unworthy flesh, Think thee what destiny awaits the soul! What glorious vesture it shall wear at last!” While yet he spoke, seashore and grave and priest Vanished, and faintly from a neighboring spire Fell five slow solemn strokes upon my ear. Then I awoke with a keen pain at heart, A sense of swift unutterable loss, And through the darkness reached my hand to touch Her cheek, soft pillowed on one restful palm— To be quite sure!