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Title: To A Sister In Heaven
Author: John S. Adams [
More Titles by Adams]
SISTER, in thy spirit home,
Knowest thou my path below?
Knowest thou the steps I roam,
And the devious road I go?
Many years have past since I
Bade thee here a sad farewell;
Many past since thou didst die,
Since I heard thy funeral knell.
Thou didst go when thou wast young;
Scarcely hadst thou oped thine eyes
To the world, and it had flung
Its bright sunshine from the skies,
Ere thy Maker called for thee,
Thou obeyed his high behest;
Then I mourned, yet knew thou 'dst be
Throned on high among the blest.
Gently thou didst fold thy wing,
Gently thou didst sink in sleep;
Birds their evening songs did sing,
And the evening shades did creep
Through the casement, one by one,
Telling of departing day;
Then, thou and the glorious sun
Didst together pass away.
Yet that sun hath rose since then,
And hath brought a joy to me;
Emblem 't is time will be when
Once again I shall see thee,--
See thee in immortal bloom,
Numbered with the ransomed throng,
Where no sorrow sheds its gloom
O'er the heart, or chills the song.
Spirit sister, throned on high,
Now methinks I hear thee speak
From thy home within the sky,
In its accents low and meek.
Thou art saying, "Banish sadness;
God is love,--O, trust him over!
Heaven is filled with joy and gladness-
It shall be thy home forever."
This thou sayest, and thy voice,
Like to none of earth I've heard,
Bids my fainting soul rejoice;
Follow God's revealéd word,
Follow that, 't is faithful true;
'Mid the trackless maze of this,
It will guide the pilgrim through
To a world of endless bliss.
Sister, in thy spirit home,
Thou dost know my path below,
Thou dost know the steps I roam,
And the road I fain would go.
If my steps would err from right,
If I'd listen to the wrong,
If I'd close my eyes to light,
Mingle with earth's careless throng:
Then wilt thou with power be nigh;
Power which angel spirits wield,
That temptation may pass by,
Be thou near my soul to shield!
As I close this simple lay,
As I over it do bow,
Sister, thou art round my way,
Thou art standing near me now.
[The end]
John S. Adams's poem: To A Sister In Heaven
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