There is no death! The stars go down
To rise upon some other shore,
And bright in heaven's jewelled crown
They shine forevermore

There is no death! The forest leaves
Convert to life the viewless air;
The rocks disorganize to feed
The hungry moss they bear

There is no death! The dust we tread
Shall change beneath the summer showers
To golden grain, or mellowed fruit,
Or rainbow-tinted flowers

There is no death! The leaves may fall,
And flowers may fade and pass away
They only wait through wntry hours
The warm, sweet breath of May

There is no death! The choicest gifts
That heaven hath kindly lent to earth
Are ever first to seek again
The country of their birth

And all things that for growth or joy
are worthy of our love or care
Whose loss has left us desolate
Are safely garnered there

Though life become a desert waste
We know its fairest, sweetest flowers
Transplanted into Paradise,
Adorn immoratal bowers.

The voice of birdlike melody
That we have missed and mourned so long,
Now mingles with the angel choir
In everlasting song.

There is no death! Although we grieve
When beautiful, familiar forms
That we have learned to love are torn
From our embracing arms

Although with bowed and breaking heart
With sable garb and silent tread
We bear their senseless dust to rest
and say that they are dead

They are not dead! They have but passed
Beyond the mists that blind us here
Into the new and larger life
Of that serener sphere.

They have but dropped their robe of clay
To put their shining raiment on;
They have not wandered far away
They are not "lost" nor "gone"

Though desenthralled and glorified
They still are here and love us yet;
The dear ones they have left behind
They never can forget.

And sometimes when our hearts grow faint
Amid temptations fierce and deep,
Or when the wildly raging waves
Of grief or passion sweep,

We feel upon our fevered brow
Their gentle touch, their breath of balm
Their arms enfold us, and our hearts
Grow comforted and calm.

And ever near us, though unseen
The dear, immortal spirits tread
For all the boundless universe
Is Life---there are no dead!

J. L. Mccreery