Father Ryan's Poems (54)

    Dreary！ weary！ Weary！ dreary！ Sighs my soul this lonely night. Farewell gladness！ Welcome sadness！ Vanished are my visions bright.

    Stars are shining！ Winds are pining！ In the sky and o'er the sea； Shine forever Stars！ but never Can the starlight gladden me.

    Stars！ you nightly Sparkle brightly, Scattered o'er your azure dome； While earth's turning, There you're burning, Beacons of a better home.

    Stars！ you brighten And you lighten Many a heart-grief here below； But your gleaming And your beaming Cannot chase away my woe.

    Stars！ you're shining, I am pining —— I am dark, but you are bright； Hanging o'er me And before me Is a night you cannot light.

    Night of sorrow, Whose to-morrow I may never, never see, Till upon me And around me Dawns a bright eternity.

    Winds！ you're sighing, And you're crying, Like a mourner o'er a tomb； Whither go ye, Whither blow ye, Wailing through the midnight gloom？

    Chanting lowly, Softly, lowly, Like the voice of one in woe； Winds so lonely, Why thus moan ye？ Say, what makes you sorrow so？

    Are you grieving For your leaving Scenes where all is fair and gay？ For the flowers In their bowers, You have met with on your way？ For fond faces, For dear places, That you've seen as on you

    swept？ Are you sighing, Are you crying, O'er the memories they have left？

    Earth is sleeping While you're sweeping Through night's solemn silence by； On forever, Pausing never ——How I love to hear you sigh！

    Men are dreaming, Stars are gleaming In the far-off heaven's blue； Bosom aching, Musing, waking, Midnight winds, I sigh with you！