ter sorrow, veiled in scornful pride,
Shall feign indifference, or affect disdain,--
Never, oh Love, again, never again!"

"Never again!" so sobs, in broken accents,
A soul laid prostrate at a holy shrine,--
"Once more, once more forgive, oh Lord, and pardon,
My wayward life shall bend to love divine;
And never more shall sin its whiteness stain,--
Never, oh God, again, never again!"

"Never again!" so speaketh one forsaken,
In the blank desolate passion of despair,--
"Never again shall the bright dream I cherished
Delude my heart, for bitter truth is there,--
The angel, Hope, shall still thy cruel pain
Never again, my heart, never again!"

"Never again!" so speaks the sudden silence,
When round the hearth gathers each well-known face,--
But one is missing, and no future presence,
However dear, can fill that vacant place;
For ever shall the burning thought remain,--
"Never, beloved, again! never again!"

"Never again!" so--but beyond our hearing--
Ring out far voices fading up the sky;
Never again shall earthly care and sorrow
Weigh down the wings that bear those souls on high;
Listen, oh earth, and hear that glorious strain,--
"Never, never again! never again!"

VERSE: LISTENING ANGELS

Blue against the bluer Heavens
Stood the mountain, calm and still,
Two white Angels, bending earthward,
Leant upon the hill.

Listening leant those silent Angels,
And I also longed to hear
What sweet strain of earthly music
Thus could charm their ear.

I heard the sound of many trumpets
In a warlike march draw nigh;
Solemnly a mighty army
Passed in order by.

But the clang had ceased; the echoes
Soon had faded from the hill;
While the Angels, calm and earnest,
Leant and listened still.

Then I heard a fainter clamour,
Forge and wheel were clashing near
And the Reapers in the meadow
Singing loud and clear.

When the sunset came in glory,
And the toil of day was o'er,
Still the Angels leant in silence,
Listening as before.

Then, as daylight slowly vanished,
And the evening mists grew dim,
Solemnly from distant voices
Rose a vesper hymn.

When the chant was done, and lingering
Died upon the evening air,
From the hill the radiant Angels
Still were listening there.

Silent came the gathering darkness,
Bringing with it sleep and rest;
Save a little bird was singing
Near her leafy nest.

Through the sounds of war and labour
She had warbled all day long,
While the Angels leant and listened
O