To Marie Louise (Shew)

    Of all who hail thy presence as the morning-
    Of all to whom thine absence is the night-
    The blotting utterly from out high heaven
    The sacred sun- of all who, weeping, bless thee
    Hourly for hope- for life- ah! above all,
    For the resurrection of deep-buried faith
    In Truth- in Virtue- in Humanity-
    Of all who, on Despair's unhallowed bed
    Lying down to die, have suddenly arisen
    At thy soft-murmured words, "Let there be light!"
    At the soft-murmured words that were fulfilled
    In the seraphic glancing of thine eyes-
    Of all who owe thee most- whose gratitude
    Nearest resembles worship- oh, remember
    The truest- the most fervently devoted,
    And think that these weak lines are written by him-
    By him who, as he pens them, thrills to think
    His spirit is communing with an angel's.