my future will not copy fair my past—

i wrote that once; and thinking at my side

my ministering life-angel justified

the word by his appealing look upcast

to the white throne of god, i turned at last,

and there, instead, saw thee, not unallied

to angels in thy soul! then i, long tried

by natural ills, received the comfort fast,

while budding, at thy sight, my pilgrim’s staff

gave out green leaves with morning dews impearled.

i seek no copy now of life’s first half:

leave here the pages with long musing curled,

and write me new my future’s epigraph,

new angel mine, unhoped for in the world!