Thine Forever

THINE FOREVER. * (For the Improvement Era.) BY J. H. PAUL, PRESIDENT OP THE LATTER-DAY SAINTS' UNIVERSITY. 1. Thine when the maidenly, blushing dawn Awakens and steals from the arms of night; While the dew-drops glisten on flower and lawn, And the dove's song floats from a lonely height. When radiant Aurora is mounting the skies, Then swift unto thee my first thought flies. 2. Thine, I have trusted my fate to thee, Answered thy love by surrender complete; When the day breaks clear o'er the freshening sea, And my heart responds in a message sweet, Then the wild rose daintily fringing the wall, With odor and color to thee doth call. [* That the ties of human relationship shall continue in the future state, is vaguely hinted at in many popular songs, and is occasionally suggested by the poets, notably by Browning in "EvelynHope," and by Rossetti in "The Blessed Damozel." Poetic and profane love have often been associated in song and romance, while sacred love has rarely been blended in poetie strain with expressions of ideal or sensuous beauty. To our people, however, the thought of the home, the family, and of love in heaven, has been familiar ever since the revelation given to the Prophet Joseph Smith in 1843. In this the Lord makes known that "if a man marry a wife by my word, which is my law, and by the new and everlasting covenant, ... it shall be . . through all eternity . . . . — of full force when they are out of the world. "^ J. H, P ]

—— THINE FOREVER. bll 3. Thine, I am thine when the breath of even Cools and caresses thy calm, pure brow; And the gleam of that lone, fair star in heaven Proves that love's planet is ruling now; When the red west flames at the close of day, Or the rose-skies change to purple and gray. Thine when at evening's hour I flee From my books to view the gem-lit sky, The beauteous course of the stars to see, Through the ocean of blue, as they speed on high. While our pale primrose, in bridal pink-white. And a halo of scents, wins the kisses of night. Thine when at midnight's hush I note, In that azure sea, the moon's calm flight; Through the glistening space where the Pleiades floaty And whisper of love in the language of night. While the world sleeps on and the cricket sings, And the night-hawk flashes his silver wings. Thine when the zephyr woos the spring, And from sage-brush covert our mourning dove, With flute-like moan, her woes doth sing, In a sorrow sweet as the pangs of love; While the peach-scented breath of some flower-topped tree Wafts the blithe, quaint song of the murmuriiig bee. Thine when our June's deep, rapturous sigh The poetry, perfume and passion of flowers Bears the blackbird's whistle, the killdeer's cry, From butter-cup meadows and sedge-guarded bowers. Thine when the odors of violet and rose Come faint to the sense when the west wind blows.

—— — Thine when o'er fields in rich repose, That gleam all gold beneath the sun, September's tawny dusks shall close. Like dreams o'er the vintage and harvest won. Thine in the cool and hazy morn. When the hues of October have tinged the corn. 9. Thine when the winter's robes enfold Our ground-bird's nest, and the blooms of clover; While the heart of the sego sleeps low in the mould, Till the storm-king's death-like reign is over; To awake from that grave of ice-bound earth, In the risen glory of spring's new birth. 10. Ours all the glories of earth, sea and sky The jasmine's sweet breath, the song of the bee, ' The course of each orb moving calmly on high, The music of waters, the voice of the sea. Shall beauty and love live beyond life's brief day ? God speaks —hearts respond — yes, forever and aye! 11. When our King, "the bright and the morning star," Proclaims life's victory, won in glory. And we meet amid "many mansions" afar. Again to take up earth's half-told story, When "the heavens on fire shall be dissolved," While eternity dawns, and the mystery is solved; 12. Mine, thou art mine, when time no more, Nor grief, can mar our joy God-given; Mine, earth's fond illusions o'er. Soul knit to soul, at home in heaven! Mine, thou art mine when all tears cease, And our heaven-blest love shall reign in peace. Salt Lake City, Utah,