But, like the skeleton at the feast, That warning timepiece never ceased,— "Forever-never! Never-forever!" There groups of merry children played, There youths and maidens dreaming strayed; O precious hours! O golden prime, Even as a miser counts his gold, Those hours the ancient timepiece told, "Forever-never! Never-forever!" From that chamber, clothed in white, The bride came forth on her wedding night; There, in that silent room below, The dead lay in his shroud of snow; And in the hush that followed the prayer, Was heard the old clock on the stair, "Forever-never! Never-forever!" All are scattered now and fled, Never-forever!" Never here, forever there, Where all parting, pain, and care, Forever there, but never here! The horologe of Eternity Sayeth this incessantly, "Forever-never! Never-forever!" THE TWO ANGELS. Two angels, one of Life and one of Death, smoke. Their attitude and aspect were the same, Alike their features and their robes of white; But one was crowned with amaranth, as with flame, And one with asphodels, like flakes of light. I saw them pause on their celestial way; Then said I, with deep fear and doubt oppressed, "Beat not so loud, my heart, lest thou betray The place where thy beloved are at rest!" And he who wore the crown of asphodels, And my soul sank within me, as in wells The waters sink before an earthquake's shock. I recognized the nameless agony, The terror and the tremor and the pain, That oft before had filled or haunted me, And now returned with threefold strength again. The door I opened to my heavenly guest, And listened, for I thought I heard God's voice; And, knowing whatsoe'er he sent was best, Dared neither to lament nor to rejoice. Then with a smile, that filled the house with light, 'T was at thy door, O friend! and not at mine, The angel with the amaranthine wreath, Pausing, descended, and with voice divine, Whispered a word that had a sound like Death. Then fell upon the house a sudden gloom, A shadow on those features fair and thin; And softly, from that hushed and darkened room, Two angels issued, where but one went in. |