Sojourns

---

Sojourns

Poem

Of all the sojourns with Thee O earth, in this thou hath grown fondest,
Though harsh was thy dealings with me and most unbenign,
Fostering me with rude storms, upon the dark fates borne 
All the furrowed lines scarring my forehead by woes beset.

Thy fires that have singed my heart leaving a charred mourning expanse,
Where no branch remains for happy throated bird to musing perch,
For all is a charnel field of ash bearing memories of the oak and birch,
Vanished the woodland of solitary reveries and cherished colloquies.

Upon my pittance was thy enormous dance, scarring by thy feet
All my dwellings, torn each sinew of thought from mind uprooting,
Mine eyes fell mute by new sorrow and knew not its apt weeping,
But how was I to know that I am by thy vague great contraries blest?

For now at this twilight hour thou appearest a form most dear,
All thy terrors and horrors have lost their black edged sting, 
Each new apparition thine harmless like a melancholy song
Tracing on faded memory some stingless sorrow to remember.

Now I know O Earth, dear wert thou always, always dear shall be,
For thou art the fond dwelling place in my sojourns from eternity.