Leonainie

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Leonainie--Angels named her;
  And they took the light
Of the laughing stars and framed her
  In a smile of white;
  And they made her hair of gloomy
  Midnight, and her eyes of bloomy
  Moonshine, and they brought her to me
  In the solemn night.--

In a solemn night of summer,
  When my heart of gloom
Blossomed up to greet the comer
  Like a rose in bloom;
  All forebodings that distressed me
  I forgot as Joy caressed me--
  (LYING Joy! that caught and pressed me
  In the arms of doom!)

Only spake the little lisper
  In the Angel-tongue;
Yet I, listening, heard her whisper,--
  "Songs are only sung
  Here below that they may grieve you--
  Tales but told you to deceive you,--
  So must Leonainie leave you
  While her love is young."

Then God smiled and it was morning.
  Matchless and supreme
Heaven's glory seemed adorning
  Earth with its esteem:
  Every heart but mine seemed gifted
  With the voice of prayer, and lifted
  Where my Leonainie drifted
  From me like a dream.

© James Whitcomb Riley