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Various

"The World's Best Poetry, Volume 3 Sorrow and Consolation"



NOW AND AFTERWARDS.
"Two hands upon the breast, and labor is past."
--RUSSIAN PROVERB.

"Two hands upon the breast,
And labor's done;
Two pale feet crossed in rest,--
The race is won;
Two eyes with coin-weights shut,
And all tears cease;
Two lips where grief is mute,
Anger at peace:"
So pray we oftentimes, mourning our lot;
God in his kindness answereth not.
"Two hands to work addrest
Aye for his praise;
Two feet that never rest
Walking his ways;
Two eyes that look above
Through all their tears;
Two lips still breathing love,
Not wrath, nor fears:"
So pray we afterwards, low on our knees;
Pardon those erring prayers! Father, hear these!
DINAH MARIA MULOCK CRAIK

THE GRAVE OF SOPHOCLES.

Tenderly, ivy, on Sophocles' grave--right tenderly--twine
Garlanding over the mound network of delicate green.
Everywhere flourish the flower of the rose, and the clustering vine
Pour out its branches around, wet with their glistering sheen.
All for the sake of the wisdom and grace it was his to combine;
Priest of the gay and profound, sweetest of singers terrene.
From the Greek of SIMMIAS.
Translation of WILLIAM M. HAUDINGE.

INSCRIPTION ON MELROSE ABBEY.

The earth goes on the earth glittering in gold,
The earth goes to the earth sooner than it wold;
The earth builds on the earth castles and towers,
The earth says to the earth--All this is ours.

ON THE TOMBS IN WESTMINSTER ABBEY.


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