Poets Corner

A Selection of Family Poetry on Nathanville

Also see Victorian Poetry - A selection of poems from the scrapbook of George Burgess of Victorian Newspapers Articles

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THE BETTER LAND

All our days are full of blessings,
Lighting up the pleasant way;
And life-giving heart refreshings,
Shower upon us every day.
But although the earth is giving
Forth its joys on every hand;
We are hoping to be living
In the better, better land.

Enchanted birds are ever singing,
In the air, and in the grove;
And their gayest notes are ringing
Out their happiness and love.
O - but soon we will by dying,
With the feathered choral land -
Therefore we are sighing - sighing,
For the better, better land.

Pure and healing air surrounds us,
As we walk the beauteous Earth;
And soft golden sunlight crowns us,
Like a gem of heavenly worth.
But these we shall soon be leaving -
For we see the golden strand,
We are panting to be breathing
In the better, better land.

Yes - the Earth in beauty, blooming,
Gives us joys both sweet and fair.
Her soft air is all-perfuming;
And it fans us everywhere.
But our spirit-joys will never
Fade away, so sure they stand -
They will shine, and live for ever,
In the better, better land.

Truest friends abound, who love us;
And their words bring sweet delight.
And their looks, like stars above us,
Do illume our darkest night.
And although they fast are falling,
By time's fatal magic wand -
They only haste to voices calling
From the better, better land.

Through the joys, and through the crying;
Till we lie beneath the sod.
Both in living, and in dying,
We will trust in Jacob's God.
He will lead us to the greeting
With that blessed heavenly land
To that wondrous family meeting,
In the better, better land.

George Burgess - May 1878

MY WIFE AWAY

O - where is my loved one tonight?
How lonely without her am I,
She turned all by darkness to light,
When warm with her love she was right.
The stars in the sky I can see,
All glittering, golden, and gay -
But no-one brings gladness to me,
Now my wife is away.

We are poor, if we have not a friend -
Friends are comforters sent from above -
Are angels which Heaven doth send,
To lift up our hearts with their love.
But-gone, is my friend, full of light,
And warm as a midsummer's day.
Now life is all turned into night,
With my wife gone away.

The spring - she may come in her time,
With her life-giving beams and her showers,
And the soft summer sunshine will shine,
Making Earth a sweet garden of flowers.
Spring - beautiful ever will be,
With sunshine and flowers to me -
With my wife far away.

I have longed for her love once again,
From me never more to depart.
My days were all winter and rain,
Till she set up her home in my heart.
Her presence was music and song;
And sweeter than dawning of day
I was happiness, all the day long,
Ere my wife soared away.

George Burgess - December 1882

JOY IS COMING

Although thy life hath known,
Some pain and sadness -
Now, grief is overthrown,
By joy and gladness -
By joy and gladness.

Hope - sings her music-song,
Of your tomorrow.
Thy future, all along,
Shall share no sorrow -
Shall share no sorrow.

Lit up with golden light,
They days shall be -
No darkness - no more night,
Shall come for thee -
Shall come for thee.

George Burgess - June 1884

To my dear friend Mrs. C M Middleton,
Aged 66, of Washington in the U.S.A.

THE DAYS GONE BYE

The days gone bye, will come no more -
Will come no more.
But coming days sweet joys will bring;
Like light upon the morning's wing,
To make thy soul rejoice and sing -
But days gone bye, will come no more -
Will come no more.

Until you reach the Glory-land -
The sunshine land -
Time - shall give thee joys anew;
Hope - thy path with flowers will strew;
Love - shall sing sweet songs for you;
Until you reach the Glory-land -
The sunshine land.

Then - days gone bye, need come no more -
Need come no more,
To that blessed shore.

George Burgess 1894

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