My friend, 0, my dearly beloved! <br />O, do you feel, do you know, <br />How the times and the seasons are going; <br />Are they weary and slow? <br /> <br />Does it seem to you long, in the heavens, <br />My true, tender mate, <br />Since here we were living together, <br />Where dying I wait. <br /> <br />‘Tis three years, as we count by the Spring-times, <br />By the birth of the flowers. <br />What are years, aye! eternities even, <br />To love such as ours? <br /> <br />Side by side are we still, though a shadow <br />Between us doth fall; <br />We are parted, and yet are not parted, <br />Not wholly, and all. <br /> <br />For still you are round and about me, <br />Almost in my reach, <br />Though I miss the old pleasant communion <br />Of smile, and of speech. <br /> <br />And I long to hear what you are seeing, <br />And what you have done, <br />Since the earth faded out from your vision, <br />And the heavens begun; <br /> <br />Since you dropped off the darkening fillet <br />Of clay from your sight, <br />And opened your eyes upon glory <br />Ineffably bright! <br /> <br />Though little my life has accomplished, <br />My poor hands have wrought; <br />I have lived what has seemed to be ages <br />In feeling and thought, <br /> <br />Since the time when our path grew so narrow, <br />So near the unknown, <br />That I turned back from following after, <br />And you went on alone. <br /> <br />For we speak of you cheerfully, always, <br />As journeying on: <br />Not as one who is dead do we name you: <br />We say, you are gone. <br /> <br />For how could we speak of you sadly, <br />We who watched while the grace <br />Of eternity’s wonderful beauty <br />Grew over your face! <br /> <br />Do we call the star lost that is hidden <br />In the great light of morn? <br />Or fashion a shroud for the young child <br />In the day it is born? <br /> <br />Yet, behold! this were wise to their folly <br />Who mourn, sore distressed, <br />When a soul that is summoned, believing; <br />Enters into its rest! <br /> <br />And for you, never any more sweetly <br />Went to rest, true and deep, <br />Since the first of our Lord’s blessed martyrs, <br />Having prayed, fell asleep!<br /><br />Phoebe Cary<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/entered-into-rest/
