Two Summer Days / Mary Mapes Dodge

Two Summer Days

"June 17th.

"It was only a little bunch of clover-blossoms gathered for her, near a way-side station, soon after our parlies were introduced on the East-bound train. But how much it meant! That was just one year ago to-day, — and now we are going back together! " — from his letter.

A year ago this day, my girl,
     The clover told a thing to you,
Amid the stir and noisy whirl
     Of wheels, as toward his home we flew;
And now you know how fond and true
The thing the clover said to you.

With modest mirth and girlish grace,
     You took the gift and lightly smiled;
You pressed it softly to your face,
     (What wonder that the flower grew wild!)
And now, in thought, again we trace,
The clover bloom, the girlish grace.

Over the self-same road again
    You journey,— yours the homeward way;
And bright upon that Western plain
    The nodding clover smiles to-day;
And still, though not in lightsome play,
It has a blessed thing to say.

Still waves the clover in the sun,
    And whispers near the whirring track:
"Two lives are floating into one,
    Two travellers are speeding back.
God bless them both till Heaven is won,
And bless the love in bloom begun!"

~~

Mary Mapes Dodge (1831-1905)

from Along the Way, 1879

[Poem is in the public domain worldwide]

Mary Mapes Dodge biography