THE SOLITARY WALK.
One sunny day I walk’d abroad,All balmy was the air;The noble Mississippi roll’dMajestically there.But nature’s smiling beauty broughtNo pleasure to my breast,For gloomy grief sat brooding there,An uninvited guest.In vain I strove to drive awayThe deep unwelcome gloom,My fav’rite flowers I heeded not,In all their summer bloom.It was the first, the only time,Since I was left alone,That I had dared to wander forth,A solitary one!And sadly as I moved alongWith tott’ring steps and slow,I bent beneath the pond’rous weightOf overwhelming woe.The mem’ry of that dreadful hourRemaineth with me still;And often to my bleeding heartIt sends an icy chill.I seem’d to tread the earth alone,The last of human kind;I had no power to send afarMy stricken, palsied mind.For there were those who loved me well,Who watch’d my early years;And many dear ones shed for meMost agonizing tears.In Carolina’s sunny land,They wept and pray’d for me;But where I was, I had not oneTo share my misery!And was it strange that I should feelThe heaviest weight of gloom,When those who shared my last sweet walk,Were silent in the tomb?I lean’d upon my husband’s arm,And on him gazed with pride,And Charley too, my darling boy,Danced gaily by my side.There was an old and leafless treeLaid prostrate by the blast,And often, in our pleasant walks,That lonely tree we pass’d.And when fatigued with rambling long,It was our resting place;For sitting there, we loved to gazeOn nature’s glorious face.It lay upon a verdant hill,Begirt with beauty round;How often, in that varied scene,A Paradise we found!The far famed river spread below,All gemm’d with islands green,And many a cloud reflected layUpon its breast serene.For there the Mississippi seem’dA boundless peaceful sea,A mirror for the fleecy clouds,And many a forest tree.[7]And often, on its bosom fairWas seen the light canoe,Swift darting to some well known placeWhere richest berries grew.While gentle maids, all blithe of heart,On harmless frolic bent,(Who’d left behind each grave MammaOn household cares intent,)And gallant youths, in merry mood,Who row’d each swift canoe,Gave life and gladness to the scene,Which seemed forever new.And here and there, among the trees,A painted Indian stalked,With gaudy feathers on his head,All dancing as he walked.For many a stately forest chiefWould often wander there,Among those unfrequented islesTo hunt the antler’d deer.And where the curling smoke afarSlow mounted to the skies,We knew a freighted steamer came,And soon would greet our eyes.Perhaps ’twould bring us news from home,Tidings of joy or woe;Then would the life blood in our veinsWith swifter current flow.And Charley, springing to my side,Would watch my anxious face;Or throw his arms around my neck,With childhood’s native grace;—Or, bringing flowers, the fragrant flowers,The beautiful and rare,Would climb upon the prostrate tree,And twine them in my hair.For he, with youthful buoyancy,Would never want to rest,But, hunting for the sweetest flowers,In richest colors dress’d,Would bring them to his mother dear,To wreathe around her head:O, God! it breaks my heart to thinkThat noble boy isdead!He was the life of every scene,The sunshine of my breast;He smiled away each gloomy thoughtThat e’er my heart oppress’d.But now in loneliness I stoodBeside that very tree,And mem’ry seemed, in every spot,My darling boy to see.But when I gaz’d with earnest eye,I found the vision fled;Twas but a momentary thought,My child—my child was dead!And oh! I had another woeI knew not how to bear;Ifelt, my husband’s words of loveI never more should hear.I asked my heart, “O, can it beI am so desolate?”My broken heart, with throbbing pain,Confess’d the mournful fate.In utter solitude of soul,I sat me down and wept,But guardian angels all aroundTheir watchful station kept.I heard a voice which said to me,“Write, Blessed are the dead!O, weep not that thy dearest onesAway from earth are fled.Thy Father called them to his arms,Ere long he’ll call for thee;Then wipe away those bitter tears,And bow to his decree.”I listen’d to the soothing voice,And peace return’d again;I ask’d for sweet submission, too,And did not ask in vain.
One sunny day I walk’d abroad,All balmy was the air;The noble Mississippi roll’dMajestically there.But nature’s smiling beauty broughtNo pleasure to my breast,For gloomy grief sat brooding there,An uninvited guest.In vain I strove to drive awayThe deep unwelcome gloom,My fav’rite flowers I heeded not,In all their summer bloom.It was the first, the only time,Since I was left alone,That I had dared to wander forth,A solitary one!And sadly as I moved alongWith tott’ring steps and slow,I bent beneath the pond’rous weightOf overwhelming woe.The mem’ry of that dreadful hourRemaineth with me still;And often to my bleeding heartIt sends an icy chill.I seem’d to tread the earth alone,The last of human kind;I had no power to send afarMy stricken, palsied mind.For there were those who loved me well,Who watch’d my early years;And many dear ones shed for meMost agonizing tears.In Carolina’s sunny land,They wept and pray’d for me;But where I was, I had not oneTo share my misery!And was it strange that I should feelThe heaviest weight of gloom,When those who shared my last sweet walk,Were silent in the tomb?I lean’d upon my husband’s arm,And on him gazed with pride,And Charley too, my darling boy,Danced gaily by my side.There was an old and leafless treeLaid prostrate by the blast,And often, in our pleasant walks,That lonely tree we pass’d.And when fatigued with rambling long,It was our resting place;For sitting there, we loved to gazeOn nature’s glorious face.It lay upon a verdant hill,Begirt with beauty round;How often, in that varied scene,A Paradise we found!The far famed river spread below,All gemm’d with islands green,And many a cloud reflected layUpon its breast serene.For there the Mississippi seem’dA boundless peaceful sea,A mirror for the fleecy clouds,And many a forest tree.[7]And often, on its bosom fairWas seen the light canoe,Swift darting to some well known placeWhere richest berries grew.While gentle maids, all blithe of heart,On harmless frolic bent,(Who’d left behind each grave MammaOn household cares intent,)And gallant youths, in merry mood,Who row’d each swift canoe,Gave life and gladness to the scene,Which seemed forever new.And here and there, among the trees,A painted Indian stalked,With gaudy feathers on his head,All dancing as he walked.For many a stately forest chiefWould often wander there,Among those unfrequented islesTo hunt the antler’d deer.And where the curling smoke afarSlow mounted to the skies,We knew a freighted steamer came,And soon would greet our eyes.Perhaps ’twould bring us news from home,Tidings of joy or woe;Then would the life blood in our veinsWith swifter current flow.And Charley, springing to my side,Would watch my anxious face;Or throw his arms around my neck,With childhood’s native grace;—Or, bringing flowers, the fragrant flowers,The beautiful and rare,Would climb upon the prostrate tree,And twine them in my hair.For he, with youthful buoyancy,Would never want to rest,But, hunting for the sweetest flowers,In richest colors dress’d,Would bring them to his mother dear,To wreathe around her head:O, God! it breaks my heart to thinkThat noble boy isdead!He was the life of every scene,The sunshine of my breast;He smiled away each gloomy thoughtThat e’er my heart oppress’d.But now in loneliness I stoodBeside that very tree,And mem’ry seemed, in every spot,My darling boy to see.But when I gaz’d with earnest eye,I found the vision fled;Twas but a momentary thought,My child—my child was dead!And oh! I had another woeI knew not how to bear;Ifelt, my husband’s words of loveI never more should hear.I asked my heart, “O, can it beI am so desolate?”My broken heart, with throbbing pain,Confess’d the mournful fate.In utter solitude of soul,I sat me down and wept,But guardian angels all aroundTheir watchful station kept.I heard a voice which said to me,“Write, Blessed are the dead!O, weep not that thy dearest onesAway from earth are fled.Thy Father called them to his arms,Ere long he’ll call for thee;Then wipe away those bitter tears,And bow to his decree.”I listen’d to the soothing voice,And peace return’d again;I ask’d for sweet submission, too,And did not ask in vain.
One sunny day I walk’d abroad,All balmy was the air;The noble Mississippi roll’dMajestically there.
One sunny day I walk’d abroad,
All balmy was the air;
The noble Mississippi roll’d
Majestically there.
But nature’s smiling beauty broughtNo pleasure to my breast,For gloomy grief sat brooding there,An uninvited guest.
But nature’s smiling beauty brought
No pleasure to my breast,
For gloomy grief sat brooding there,
An uninvited guest.
In vain I strove to drive awayThe deep unwelcome gloom,My fav’rite flowers I heeded not,In all their summer bloom.
In vain I strove to drive away
The deep unwelcome gloom,
My fav’rite flowers I heeded not,
In all their summer bloom.
It was the first, the only time,Since I was left alone,That I had dared to wander forth,A solitary one!
It was the first, the only time,
Since I was left alone,
That I had dared to wander forth,
A solitary one!
And sadly as I moved alongWith tott’ring steps and slow,I bent beneath the pond’rous weightOf overwhelming woe.
And sadly as I moved along
With tott’ring steps and slow,
I bent beneath the pond’rous weight
Of overwhelming woe.
The mem’ry of that dreadful hourRemaineth with me still;And often to my bleeding heartIt sends an icy chill.
The mem’ry of that dreadful hour
Remaineth with me still;
And often to my bleeding heart
It sends an icy chill.
I seem’d to tread the earth alone,The last of human kind;I had no power to send afarMy stricken, palsied mind.
I seem’d to tread the earth alone,
The last of human kind;
I had no power to send afar
My stricken, palsied mind.
For there were those who loved me well,Who watch’d my early years;And many dear ones shed for meMost agonizing tears.
For there were those who loved me well,
Who watch’d my early years;
And many dear ones shed for me
Most agonizing tears.
In Carolina’s sunny land,They wept and pray’d for me;But where I was, I had not oneTo share my misery!
In Carolina’s sunny land,
They wept and pray’d for me;
But where I was, I had not one
To share my misery!
And was it strange that I should feelThe heaviest weight of gloom,When those who shared my last sweet walk,Were silent in the tomb?
And was it strange that I should feel
The heaviest weight of gloom,
When those who shared my last sweet walk,
Were silent in the tomb?
I lean’d upon my husband’s arm,And on him gazed with pride,And Charley too, my darling boy,Danced gaily by my side.
I lean’d upon my husband’s arm,
And on him gazed with pride,
And Charley too, my darling boy,
Danced gaily by my side.
There was an old and leafless treeLaid prostrate by the blast,And often, in our pleasant walks,That lonely tree we pass’d.
There was an old and leafless tree
Laid prostrate by the blast,
And often, in our pleasant walks,
That lonely tree we pass’d.
And when fatigued with rambling long,It was our resting place;For sitting there, we loved to gazeOn nature’s glorious face.
And when fatigued with rambling long,
It was our resting place;
For sitting there, we loved to gaze
On nature’s glorious face.
It lay upon a verdant hill,Begirt with beauty round;How often, in that varied scene,A Paradise we found!
It lay upon a verdant hill,
Begirt with beauty round;
How often, in that varied scene,
A Paradise we found!
The far famed river spread below,All gemm’d with islands green,And many a cloud reflected layUpon its breast serene.
The far famed river spread below,
All gemm’d with islands green,
And many a cloud reflected lay
Upon its breast serene.
For there the Mississippi seem’dA boundless peaceful sea,A mirror for the fleecy clouds,And many a forest tree.[7]
For there the Mississippi seem’d
A boundless peaceful sea,
A mirror for the fleecy clouds,
And many a forest tree.[7]
And often, on its bosom fairWas seen the light canoe,Swift darting to some well known placeWhere richest berries grew.
And often, on its bosom fair
Was seen the light canoe,
Swift darting to some well known place
Where richest berries grew.
While gentle maids, all blithe of heart,On harmless frolic bent,(Who’d left behind each grave MammaOn household cares intent,)
While gentle maids, all blithe of heart,
On harmless frolic bent,
(Who’d left behind each grave Mamma
On household cares intent,)
And gallant youths, in merry mood,Who row’d each swift canoe,Gave life and gladness to the scene,Which seemed forever new.
And gallant youths, in merry mood,
Who row’d each swift canoe,
Gave life and gladness to the scene,
Which seemed forever new.
And here and there, among the trees,A painted Indian stalked,With gaudy feathers on his head,All dancing as he walked.
And here and there, among the trees,
A painted Indian stalked,
With gaudy feathers on his head,
All dancing as he walked.
For many a stately forest chiefWould often wander there,Among those unfrequented islesTo hunt the antler’d deer.
For many a stately forest chief
Would often wander there,
Among those unfrequented isles
To hunt the antler’d deer.
And where the curling smoke afarSlow mounted to the skies,We knew a freighted steamer came,And soon would greet our eyes.
And where the curling smoke afar
Slow mounted to the skies,
We knew a freighted steamer came,
And soon would greet our eyes.
Perhaps ’twould bring us news from home,Tidings of joy or woe;Then would the life blood in our veinsWith swifter current flow.
Perhaps ’twould bring us news from home,
Tidings of joy or woe;
Then would the life blood in our veins
With swifter current flow.
And Charley, springing to my side,Would watch my anxious face;Or throw his arms around my neck,With childhood’s native grace;—
And Charley, springing to my side,
Would watch my anxious face;
Or throw his arms around my neck,
With childhood’s native grace;—
Or, bringing flowers, the fragrant flowers,The beautiful and rare,Would climb upon the prostrate tree,And twine them in my hair.
Or, bringing flowers, the fragrant flowers,
The beautiful and rare,
Would climb upon the prostrate tree,
And twine them in my hair.
For he, with youthful buoyancy,Would never want to rest,But, hunting for the sweetest flowers,In richest colors dress’d,
For he, with youthful buoyancy,
Would never want to rest,
But, hunting for the sweetest flowers,
In richest colors dress’d,
Would bring them to his mother dear,To wreathe around her head:O, God! it breaks my heart to thinkThat noble boy isdead!
Would bring them to his mother dear,
To wreathe around her head:
O, God! it breaks my heart to think
That noble boy isdead!
He was the life of every scene,The sunshine of my breast;He smiled away each gloomy thoughtThat e’er my heart oppress’d.
He was the life of every scene,
The sunshine of my breast;
He smiled away each gloomy thought
That e’er my heart oppress’d.
But now in loneliness I stoodBeside that very tree,And mem’ry seemed, in every spot,My darling boy to see.
But now in loneliness I stood
Beside that very tree,
And mem’ry seemed, in every spot,
My darling boy to see.
But when I gaz’d with earnest eye,I found the vision fled;Twas but a momentary thought,My child—my child was dead!
But when I gaz’d with earnest eye,
I found the vision fled;
Twas but a momentary thought,
My child—my child was dead!
And oh! I had another woeI knew not how to bear;Ifelt, my husband’s words of loveI never more should hear.
And oh! I had another woe
I knew not how to bear;
Ifelt, my husband’s words of love
I never more should hear.
I asked my heart, “O, can it beI am so desolate?”My broken heart, with throbbing pain,Confess’d the mournful fate.
I asked my heart, “O, can it be
I am so desolate?”
My broken heart, with throbbing pain,
Confess’d the mournful fate.
In utter solitude of soul,I sat me down and wept,But guardian angels all aroundTheir watchful station kept.
In utter solitude of soul,
I sat me down and wept,
But guardian angels all around
Their watchful station kept.
I heard a voice which said to me,“Write, Blessed are the dead!O, weep not that thy dearest onesAway from earth are fled.
I heard a voice which said to me,
“Write, Blessed are the dead!
O, weep not that thy dearest ones
Away from earth are fled.
Thy Father called them to his arms,Ere long he’ll call for thee;Then wipe away those bitter tears,And bow to his decree.”
Thy Father called them to his arms,
Ere long he’ll call for thee;
Then wipe away those bitter tears,
And bow to his decree.”
I listen’d to the soothing voice,And peace return’d again;I ask’d for sweet submission, too,And did not ask in vain.
I listen’d to the soothing voice,
And peace return’d again;
I ask’d for sweet submission, too,
And did not ask in vain.
FOOTNOTE
[7]The waters of the Mississippi, above the Missouri, are very different in their character from those below. Below, they are, like the Missouri waters, turbulent and muddy; above, they are singularly tranquil and clear, excepting at the rapids. Bloomington, the scene of the preceding poems, is situated on the western bank of the Mississippi, two or three hundred miles above St. Louis.
[7]The waters of the Mississippi, above the Missouri, are very different in their character from those below. Below, they are, like the Missouri waters, turbulent and muddy; above, they are singularly tranquil and clear, excepting at the rapids. Bloomington, the scene of the preceding poems, is situated on the western bank of the Mississippi, two or three hundred miles above St. Louis.