J. H. On The Death Of His Wife.

Eliza Paul Kirkbride Gurney 1801 (Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, ) – 1881 (Burlington County, New Jersey)



Oh, when I found that Death had set
His awful stamp on thee,
Deserted on Life's stormy shore,
I thought that Time could have in store
Not one more shaft for me.
  
Long I had watched thy lingering bloom
That brightened 'mid decay;
And then its eloquent appeal
Would ask my heart if death could steal
Such loveliness away.
  
And oh! could pure unsullied worth
Or peerless beauty save,
We had not stood as mourners here,
And shed the unavailing tear
O'er thy untimely grave.
  
But we have seen thee lowly laid,
And I am here alone;
Each morn I shuddering wake to feel
The consciousness around me steal,
That all my hopes are flown.
  
All, did I say? Ingrate indeed!
Oh, be the thought forgiven;
Has he not hopes and interests here,
Whose sacred task it is to rear
A family for Heaven?
  
Rebellious heart! some tendril ties
Around thee still are thrown;
Oh, while this cherub group is mine,
Heaven's dearest gift I can resign,
And say, "Thy will be done."
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Submitted on August 03, 2020

Modified on April 24, 2023

54 sec read
47

Quick analysis:

Scheme XABBA XCDDC XEFXE XGDDG XHFXH XGIIH
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 927
Words 179
Stanzas 6
Stanza Lengths 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5

Eliza Paul Kirkbride Gurney

Eliza Paul Kirkbride was born on April 6, 1801 in Philadelphia to Joseph and Mary Paul Kirkbride, both of Quaker descent.Eliza was recognized as a minister by the Quaker Monthly Meeting in England in July 1841. In 1850, Eliza returned to America and, in 1851, settled at West Hill. During the next eight years she resumed the labors of a traveling minister. Between 1855 and 1858, she preached in England, France, Italy, Switzerland, and Germany. Eliza Gurney was a powerful and compelling preacher who was an important leader in the groups of English and American Quakers who tried to fight lethargy and doubt within the Society of Friends. more…

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