Poems (Ford)/The Departed

For works with similar titles, see The Departed.

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THE DEPARTED.
How fondly does the heart recall The friends of vanished years,The peaceful dead, who calmly rest, Unmoved by hopes or fears;Visions of light and love, they comeInto the heart, like dreams of home, And melt the soul to tears.
Their voices often on our ears In silvery cadence fall, ​Like some sweet song, almost forgot, That we would fain recall;When Memory sweeps the heart-harp's chords,Echoes of long forgotten words Breathe round us at her call.
Like whispers of a summer breeze That on its airy wingsFrom hill and lea, from grove and vale, The balm of blossoms brings,They come to us in silent hours,Like strains that in celestial bowers Some wandering seraph sings.
The faces of our loved and dead Arise before our gaze;The smiles that tinged with light the clouds Of long departed days,Oft in our loneliness come back,To light us o'er life's darkened track With hope's celestial rays.
Oh, faces shrouded from our view, Oh, voices silent long,We would not call you back to earth For sweetest smile or song—Here time or doubt may friends estrange,In heaven the heart can never change Or chill at fancied wrong.
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To us ye are as beacon lights Upon the heavenly shore;While o'er life's changing sea we drift, And hear its breakers roar,With outstretched arms ye bid us come,And smile a joyous welcome home Where parting is no more.

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