[Editor: This poem by Louisa Lawson was published in “The Lonely Crossing” and Other Poems (1905).]
To My Sister.
Thou’rt sleeping calmly in thy tomb,
While I from day to day
Still blunder on amid the gloom
Of life’s uncertain way.
Thou’rt resting here in perfect peace,
Kind Heaven favoured thee,
In that it willed thee quick release
From all the cares that be.
But thou wert ne’er a child of earth,
Ne’er like the noisy crowd
Who clustered round our father’s hearth —
Thy voice was never loud.
And sometimes when the moon at night
Shines through the open door,
And casts a belt of silver light
Across our humble floor —
I fancy then, my sister dear,
That back to earth and me
Thy spirit floats; I feel thee near,
Though thee I cannot see.
I stretch vain arms that would enfold
Thee in a fond embrace,
Forgetting long, long years have rolled
Since I beheld thy face.
’Twas well thou could’st not long remain
Where care would be thy lot,
Nor would I have thee back again,
God knows, dear, I would not.
In vain in thought I backward stray
And search from year to year
To record find of e’en a day
Unclouded by a care.
Joy never twined a wreath for me
In May-day’s sunniest hours,
But sorrow’s tares were safe to be
Inwoven with the flowers.
It hovers o’er me through the night
And robs me of my rest,
Nor flies when morning sunbeams light
The dew on nature’s breast.
But storms may beat about thy grave
And rage above thy head;
It frets thee not how winds may rave —
Safe in thy silent bed.
And I could oft without regret
Resign each cherished scheme
And rest with thee, so care beset
And weary do I seem.
But not while shines an harvest sun
Must slumber come to me,
At eve, with full day’s labour done,
Sweeter the rest will be.
Source:
Louisa Lawson, “The Lonely Crossing” and Other Poems, Sydney: Dawn Office, [1905], pp. 76-77
Editor’s notes:
The line “But not while shines an harvest sun” also appears in the 1909 edition (p. 77); presumably it was intended that the “h” be dropped when saying “harvest” (i.e. “But not while shines an ’arvest sun”).
could’st = (also spelt: couldst) (archaic) could
e’en = (archaic) a contraction of “even”
inwoven = (archaic) interwoven; past tense of “inweave” (to weave materials together into a fabric or design)
ne’er = (vernacular) an archaic contraction of “never”
o’er = (archaic) over (pronounced the same as “oar”, “or”, and “ore”)
tare = an troublesome weed found in fields of grain, mentioned in the Bible, in the “parable of the tares” (Matthew 13:25-40); it is believed that the biblical “tare” is “darnel” (also known as poison darnel, darnel ryegrass, Lolium temulentum), a noxious weed which looks like wheat
thee = (archaic) you
thou = (archaic) you
thou’rt = (archaic) a contraction of “thou art” (“you are”)
thy = (archaic) your
’twas = (archaic) a contraction of “it was”
wert = (archaic) were (commonly appears as “thou wert”, i.e. “you were”); the second person singular of “were”, used as the subjunctive imperfect tense of “be”
[Editor: Changed “labour done” to “labour done,” (added a comma).]
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