MAGDALEN.
Reading edition
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BY L. L. M.
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O’er the shining walls of Sunset
Drooped the night-flag’s sable fold;
Far adown the dim old forest
Evening anthems slowly rolled.
Up from brakes and velvet mosses,
Heart-wrung pleadings faintly stole,
With Death’s anguish wildly wrestled,
All that night, a passing soul.
Wronged and wronger here had parted
In life’s glorious summer morn,
He, to win the world’s high honor,
She, to shrink from man’s fierce scorn.
She had sinned, and love’s sweet numbers
Rang from human lips no more,
But around her gently murmured
Voices from the Eternal shore.
Past her flowed the chiming waters,
Heaven-hued flow’rets bent above;
Upward rose their blended incense
To the God whose name is Love.
Downward through the forest arches
Swept the pine-trees fragrant balm;
O’er her fevered senses stealing
With a soft, delicious calm.
Angel eyes smiled down upon her,
Angel wings about her lay;
And a gleam from Heaven’s bright portals,
Flashed upon her upward way.
Calm she lay, the great All Father
Held her in his dear embrace;
And the peace of sin forgiven,
Rests upon her sweet, dead face.