God's love and peace be with thee, where <br />Soe'er this soft autumnal air <br />Lifts the dark tresses of thy hair. <br /> <br />Whether through city casements comes <br />Its kiss to thee, in crowded rooms, <br />Or, out among the woodland blooms, <br /> <br />It freshens o'er thy thoughtful face, <br />Imparting, in its glad embrace, <br />Beauty to beauty, grace to grace! <br /> <br />Fair Nature's book together read, <br />The old wood-paths that knew our tread, <br />The maple shadows overhead,-- <br /> <br />The hills we climbed, the river seen <br />By gleams along its deep ravine,-- <br />All keep thy memory fresh and green. <br /> <br />Where'er I look, where'er I stray, <br />Thy thought goes with me on my way, <br />And hence the prayer I breathe to-day; <br /> <br />O'er lapse of time and change of scene, <br />The weary waste which lies between <br />Thyself and me, my heart I lean. <br /> <br />Thou lack'st not Friendship's spell-word, nor <br />The half-unconscious power to draw <br />All hearts to thine by Love's sweet law. <br /> <br />With these good gifts of God is cast <br />Thy lot, and many a charm thou hast <br />To hold the blessed angels fast. <br /> <br />If, then, a fervent wish for thee <br />The gracious heavens will heed from me, <br />What should, dear heart, its burden be? <br /> <br />The sighing of a shaken reed,-- <br />What can I more than meekly plead <br />The greatness of our common need? <br /> <br />God's love,--unchanging, pure, and true,-- <br />The Paraclete white-shining through <br />His peace,--the fall of Hermon's dew! <br /> <br />With such a prayer, on this sweet day, <br />As thou mayst hear and I may say, <br />I greet thee, dearest, far away!<br /><br />John Greenleaf Whittier<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/benedicite/
