In a Belgian Garden and Other Poems

<SPAN name="year"></SPAN> <h3> A Year Ago<br/> </h3> <p class="poem"> The waters of the river gleamed as brightly<br/> <SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">And murmured with the same untiring flow,</SPAN><br/> The branches of the birches tossed as lightly,<br/> <SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Among them sang the breeze as soft and low,</SPAN><br/> <SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 4em">A year ago.</SPAN><br/></p> <p class="poem"> We sat beneath the white-stemmed birches bending<br/> <SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">To reach the gurgling waters of the bay,</SPAN><br/> We saw the boats their courses seaward wending,<br/> <SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">And earth seemed fair,&mdash;before us life's long day,</SPAN><br/> <SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 4em">Night far away.</SPAN><br/></p> <p class="poem"> But often clouds would veil the sunlight over,<br/> <SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">A moment cast a shadow and float by;</SPAN><br/> So stealthily above our hearts would hover<br/> <SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Sad thoughts to pause a moment, pass and die,</SPAN><br/> <SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 4em">We knew not why.</SPAN><br/></p> <p class="poem"> We heeded not the moaning of the river,<br/> <SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">Nor did the wind a whispered message bring;</SPAN><br/> Ah, now I know they murmured&mdash;part forever!<br/> <SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 1em">For that dull gloom above us hovering,</SPAN><br/> <SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 4em">Was Death's dark wing.</SPAN><br/></p> <br/><br/><br/> <div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />