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Poem
October 7, 1875
The Home Journal
Winchester, Franklin County, Tennessee
What is this article about?
A visionary poem depicting the River of Tears, bordered by weeping willows and bitter plants, transformed by a child's touch into a blooming paradise where tears of love and friendship yield flowers, and mourners' souls find eternal reunion and joy.
Clipping
OCR Quality
95%
Excellent
Full Text
Beside the River of Tears, with branches low,
And bitter leaves the weeping willows grow;
The branches stream like the disheveled hair
Of women in the sadness of despair.
It rolls the stream with a perpetual sigh:
The rocks moan sadly as it passes by;
Hyssop and wormwood border all the strand,
And not a flower adorns the dreary land.
Then comes a child, whose face is like the sun,
And dips the gloomy waters as they run,
And waters all the region, and behold
The ground is bright with blooms manifold
Where fall the tears of love the rose appears.
And where the ground is bright with friendship's tears,
Forget-me-nots and violets of heavenly blue
Spring, glittering with the cheerful drops like dew.
The souls of mourners, all whose tears are dried,
Like swans, come floating gently down the tide,
Walk up the golden sands by which it flows,
And in that Paradise of Tears repose.
There every heart rejoins its kindred heart:
There, in a long embrace that none may part,
Fulfillment meets desire, and that fair shore
Beholds its dwellers happy evermore.
And bitter leaves the weeping willows grow;
The branches stream like the disheveled hair
Of women in the sadness of despair.
It rolls the stream with a perpetual sigh:
The rocks moan sadly as it passes by;
Hyssop and wormwood border all the strand,
And not a flower adorns the dreary land.
Then comes a child, whose face is like the sun,
And dips the gloomy waters as they run,
And waters all the region, and behold
The ground is bright with blooms manifold
Where fall the tears of love the rose appears.
And where the ground is bright with friendship's tears,
Forget-me-nots and violets of heavenly blue
Spring, glittering with the cheerful drops like dew.
The souls of mourners, all whose tears are dried,
Like swans, come floating gently down the tide,
Walk up the golden sands by which it flows,
And in that Paradise of Tears repose.
There every heart rejoins its kindred heart:
There, in a long embrace that none may part,
Fulfillment meets desire, and that fair shore
Beholds its dwellers happy evermore.
What sub-type of article is it?
Ode
Pastoral
What themes does it cover?
Death Mourning
Love Courtship
Friendship
What keywords are associated?
River Of Tears
Weeping Willows
Tears Of Love
Friendships Tears
Mourners Souls
Paradise Of Tears
Eternal Reunion
Poem Details
Subject
Vision Of The River Of Tears
Form / Style
Rhymed Quatrains
Key Lines
Beside The River Of Tears, With Branches Low,
And Bitter Leaves The Weeping Willows Grow;
Then Comes A Child, Whose Face Is Like The Sun,
And Dips The Gloomy Waters As They Run,
Where Fall The Tears Of Love The Rose Appears.
And Where The Ground Is Bright With Friendship's Tears,
The Souls Of Mourners, All Whose Tears Are Dried,
Like Swans, Come Floating Gently Down The Tide,