Lydia Maria Child, Letters of Lydia Maria Child
John Greenleaf Whittier, Wendell Phillips, Harriet Winslow Sewall, Ed.

Lines written by Mrs. Child on the anniversary of the death of Ellis Gray Loring.¹

Again the trees are clothed in vernal green;
Again the waters flow in silvery sheen;
But all this beauty through a mist I see,
For earth bloomed thus when thou wert lost to me.

The flowers come back, the tuneful birds return,
But thou for whom my spirit still doth yearn
Art gone from me to spheres so bright and far,
Thou seem'st the spirit of some distant star.

O for some telegram from thee, my friend
Some whispered answer to the love I send!
Or one brief glance from those dear guileless eyes,
That smiled to me so sweetly thy replies.

My heart is hungry for thy gentle ways,
Thy friendly counsels, and thy precious praise;
I seem to travel through the dark alone,
Since thou, my wisest, truest guide art gone.

And yet at times so near thou art to me
That each good thought seems still inspired by thee:
I almost hear thee say, “Fear not, my friend,
That friendship pure and loyal e'er can end.” [102]

O keep me ever near thy holy sphere,
O guide and help me as thou didst while here,
For still I lean on thy pure, faithful heart,
Angel or seraph, wheresoe'er thou art.