There Is No Death

There is tío death ! The stars go down To rise upon some fairer shore, And bright in Heaven's jewelled crown They sliine iorever more. There s no death ! The dust we tread Shall change beneatli the sumraer showers To golden gvain or mellow fruit, Or rainbow tinted flowers. The granite rocks disorganize To feed the hungry moss they bear ; The forest leaves drink daily life From out the viewless air. There is no death ! Theleaves may fall, The flowers may fade and pass away- They only wait, through wintry hours, The coming of the May. There is no death ! An angel form Walks o'er the earth with silent tread, He bears our best loved things away, And then we cali them " dead." He learesour hcarts all desolate- He plucks our fairest, sweetest flowers: Transplanted iuto bliss, they novr Adorn immortal bowers. The bird like voice whose joyous tones Made glad this scène of sin and strife, Sings now in everlasting song Araid the tree of life. And where he sees a smile too Tjright, Or hearts too pure for taint or vice, He bears it to that world of light To dweil in Paradise. Born into that undying life, They leave us but to come again : With joy we welcome them - the same, Except in sin and pain. And ever nearus, though unseen, The dear immortal spirits tread: For all the boundless Universe Is üfr - there are no dead.