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Ada Cambridge - An Anniversary
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I.

AS flower to sun its drop of dew 
    Gives from its crystal cup, 
So I, as morning gift to you, 
    This poor verse offer up. 
    
II.

As flowers upon the summer wind 
    Their air-born odours shake, 
So, in all fragrance you may find, 
    I give but what I take. 
    
III.

My tree blooms green through snow and heat; 
    Your love is sap and root,— 
And this is but the breathing sweet 
    Of fairest blossom-shoot. 
    
IV.

An outgrowth of the happy days 
    In wedded lives begun— 
Two lives, in all their work and ways, 
    Indissolubly one. 
    
V.

The force that was to bind us so 
    We very dimly knew. 
Ah, love! it seems so long ago, 
    And yet the years are few. 
    
VI.

We did not wait for tides to rise, 
    Nor cared that winds were rough; 
They call`d us foolish—we were wise; 
    God gave us wealth enough. 
    
VII.

He only knows what precious change 
    We took of Him for gold; 
What blessing such a narrow range 
    Of circumstance can hold. 
    
VIII.

No troubles now could memory spare, 
    No lightest touch of pain; 
No hand experience of care 
    Would we unlearn again. 
    
IX.

Such love surrounds, such beauty lies 
    On our most common needs, 
As silver hoar-frost glorifies 
    The wayside sticks and weeds. 
    
X.

All trials that are overpast, 
    All cares that are to be, 
But make more sacred and more fast 
    The ties `twixt you and me. 
    
XI.

They are but clear lights shining through 
    The mist that round us rolls; 
They are but touchstones, fine and true 
    For fond and faithful souls. 
    
XII.

They are but fires, to cleanse and clean 
    Our human love from stain; 
For naught of sordid, false, or mean 
    From these blest fires remain. 
    
XIII.

They are but keys within the wards 
    Of that last, inmost door, 
Where the heart`s dearest treasure-hoards 
    Are garner`d evermore. 
XIV.

Ah, dear! our very griefs are glad 
    Our every cross is crown`d; 
We are not able to be sad, 
    Such comfort wraps us round. 
    
XV.

How calm the haven where we rest, 
    Now passion`s storms are past! 
How warm and soft the little nest 
    Which shelters us at last! 
    
XVI.

How—blue, pellucid, and divine— 
    Through all our days and nights, 
The clear eyes of our children shine 
    Like heavenly beacon-lights! 
    
XVII.

We listen to the laughter sweet 
    Whose echoes come and go, 
The music of little feet 
    That patter to and fro. 
    
XVIII.

And deepest thoughts of God awake, 
    Who hath reveal`d Him thus, 
And, in His goodness, deign`d to make 
    His own abode with us. 
    
XIX.

To God, in Christ, we kneel to-day 
    (Whose will on earth be done); 
As He hath made us, let us pray 
    That He will keep us, one. 
    
XX.

Together, may we feel Him stand 
    About our path and bed; 
Together may we, hand in hand, 
    His royal highway tread. 

XXI.

The dear ones He has given, to be 
    Of His redeem`d the type— 
Together, may we live to see 
    Their budding promise ripe. 
    
XXII.

And, O my dearest! may we lie, 
    In our last night of rest, 
Asleep together, peacefully, 
    Upon our Father`s breast.
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