Walls of Paradise

¦¦¦ years are ¦¦¦¦¦¦ creeping ¦¦¦
Beneath ¦¦¦ summer sun;
Yet, ¦¦¦¦¦ in silent love and peace
Our lives ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦ run.
Beyond ¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦ veils the coming years
I see no ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦ clouds, nor falling tears.
Beside life's river we ¦¦¦¦ stood
¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦ side by side;
Where ¦¦¦¦¦ roses bloomed ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦
And gleamed the lily's pride,
¦¦¦ happily ¦¦¦¦¦ we've plucked the ¦¦¦¦¦ wild flowers
while ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦ passed away the sunny hours.
¦¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦
With ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ hope of youth;
God grant thy heart may never know
Aught but ¦¦¦ purest truth.
Keep ¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ soul its faith and ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦ love
Until they ¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦¦ bloom in heaven above.
Beside the river ¦¦¦¦¦ we stay
¦¦¦ swift the hours fly ¦¦¦
While ¦¦¦ upon the ¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦ banks
¦¦¦ flowers silent lie.
¦¦¦¦ ¦¦¦ beyond the mist, our longing eyes
¦¦¦¦¦ seek ¦¦¦ gleaming walls of paradise.


(Blackout of Irene by Fannie Isabelle Sherrick)