When friends are sighing
Round one and one
Nearer is lying,
Nearer the sun,
When one is dying
And all is done;
I may remember,
You may forget
Words, each an ember,
Burning here yet —
In dead December
One will regret.
Love we have given,
Over and o'er,
All, who has driven
Us from his door,
Is he forgiven
When he is poor?
What if you wept once,
What though he knew!
What if he slept once!
Still he was true,
If he but kept once
Something of you.
Never forgetful,
Love may forget;
Froward and fretful,
Child, he will fret;
Ever regretful,
He will regret.
Love would be sweeter
If we but knew;
Lives be completer
To themselves true;
Hearts more in metre,
Truth looking through.
Flesh never near it,
Being impure,
Mind must endear it
Making it sure —
Love in the spirit,
That will endure.
So when to-morrow
Ceases and we
Quit this we borrow,
Mortality,
Such chastens sorrow
So it may see.
There will be weeping,
Weary and deep,—
God's be the keeping
Of those that weep!—
When our loved, sleeping,
Sleep their long sleep;
Then they are dearer
Than we're aware;
Character clearer,
Being more fair;
Then they are nearer,
Nearer by prayer.