Christina Rossetti — The Ghosts Petition

"There's a footstep coming: look out and see."--          "The leaves are falling, the wind is calling; No one cometh across the lea."-- "There's a footstep coming: O sister, look."--          "The ripple flashes, the white foam dashes; No one cometh across the brook."-- "But he promised that he would come:          To-night, to-morrow, in joy or sorrow, He must keep his word, and must come home. "For he promised that he would come:          His word was given; from earth or heaven, He must keep his word, and must come home. "Go to sleep, my sweet sister Jane;          You can slumber, who need not number Hour after hour, in doubt and pain. "I shall sit here awhile, and watch;          Listening, hoping, for one hand groping In deep shadow to find the latch." After the dark, and before the light,          One lay sleeping; and one sat weeping, Who had watched and wept the weary night. After the night, and before the day,          One lay sleeping; and one sat weeping,-- Watching, weeping for one away. There came a footstep climbing the stair;          Some one standing out on the landing Shook the door like a puff of air,-- Shook the door, and in he passed.          Did he enter? In the room centre Stood her husband: the door shut fast. "O Robin, but you are cold,--         Chilled with the night-dew: so lily-white you Look like a stray lamb from our fold. "O Robin, but you are late:          Come and sit near me,--sit here and cheer me."-- (Blue the flame burnt in the grate.) "Lay not down your head on my breast:          I cannot hold you, kind wife, nor fold you In the shelter that you love best. "Feel not after my clasping hand:         I am but a shadow, come from the meadow Where many lie, but no tree can stand. "We are trees which have shed their leaves:          Our heads lie low there, but no tears flow there; Only I grieve for my wife who grieves. "I could rest if you would not moan          Hour after hour; I have no power To shut my ears where I lie alone. "I could rest if you would not cry;          But there's no sleeping while you sit weeping,-- Watching, weeping so bitterly."-- "Woe's me! woe's me! for this I have heard.          O, night of sorrow!--O, black to-morrow! Is it thus that you keep your word? "O you who used so to shelter me          Warm from the least wind,--why, now the east wind Is warmer than you, whom I quake to see. "O my husband of flesh and blood,          For whom my mother I left, and brother, And all I had, accounting it good, "What do you do there, underground,          In the dark hollow? I'm fain to follow. What do you do there?--what have you found?"-- "What I do there I must not tell;          But I have plenty. Kind wife, content ye: It is well with us,--it is well. "Tender hand hath made our nest;          Our fear is ended, our hope is blended With present pleasure, and we have rest."-- "O, but Robin, I'm fain to come,          If your present days are so pleasant; For my days are so wearisome. "Yet I'll dry my tears for your sake:          Why should I tease you, who cannot please you Any more with the pains I take?"