Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
England: Vols. I–IV. 1876–79. | | | | Sheffield | | Lines | | Ebenezer Elliott (1781–1849) |
| | On Seeing Unexpectedly a New Church, While Walking on the Sabbath in Old-Park Wood, near Sheffield |
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FROM Shirecliffe, o’er a silent sea of trees, | |
| When evening waned o’er Wadsley’s cottages, | |
| I looked on Loxley, Rivilin, and Don, | |
| While at my side stood truth-loved Pemberton; | |
| And wondered, far beneath me, to behold | 5 |
| A golden spire, that glowed o’er fields of gold. | |
| Out of the earth it rose, with sudden power, | |
| A bright flame, growing heavenward, like a flower | |
| Where erst nor temple stood, nor holy psalm | |
| Rose to the mountains in the day of calm. | 10 |
| There, at the altar, plighted hearts may sigh; | |
| There, side by side, how soon their dust may lie! | |
| Then carven stones the old, old tale will tell, | |
| That saddens joy with its brief chronicle, | |
| Till time, with pinions stolen from the dove, | 15 |
| Gently erase the epitaph of love; | |
| While rivers sing, on their unwearied way, | |
| The songs that but with earth can pass away, | |
| That brings the tempest’s accents from afar | |
| And breathes of woodbines where no woodbines are! | 20 |
| Yet deem not that affection can expire, | |
| Though earth and skies shall melt in fervent fire; | |
| For truth hath written, on the stars above,— | |
| “Affection cannot die, if God is Love!” | |
| Whene’er I pass a grave with moss o’ergrown, | 25 |
| Love seems to rest upon the silent stone, | |
| Above the wreck of sublunary things, | |
| Like a tired angel sleeping on his wings. | | | |
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