Classic Poem

The old sleep-spectres would have passed away,
Had you been gracious, sweet. I should have slept,
And woke and smiled, and woke again and wept,
Too peaceful and too close to God to pray,
Your bosom being God-gifted to convey
The sense of sweet security to me: —
I should have found his soft repose in thee,
And sunk in heaven deeper day by day.

But heaven on earth is given to but few
To linger in, — I have seen it, — it is good
But it has vanished: — when it comes in view,
I know that I shall feel as if I stood
In the old green archway of that autumn wood,
And the first sweet angel-vision will be — you .