ON BABY'S DEATH

With the doleful dead man's bell

Ring, oh, ring not Baby's knell!

Let her calmly, calmly sleep,

But with the flow’rs fresh from the dell

Make thou a music wild and deep,

Such as men can but know well

        When their souls have learnt to weep.

As if Love's self had gone from earth

Oh, sing a music that has birth

In the suspension of commotion

For thus hath death made our emotion.

Sing thou a song more deep and true

Than the vague, soft song of ocean

The quiet darkness moaning through.

Sing into sad tears our distress!

Oh, let soft sorrow be thy strain!

She's gone beyond our love's caress,

Giving to life more loneliness

        And to mystery more pain.