The change has come, and who would say
  “I would it were not come to-day”? 
    What were the respite till to-morrow? 
    Postponement of a certain sorrow,
    From which each passing day would borrow! 
      Let grief be dumb,
      The change has come.

COMPARISON

  The sky of brightest gray seems dark
    To one whose sky was ever white. 
  To one who never knew a spark,
    Thro’ all his life, of love or light,
    The grayest cloud seems over-bright.

  The robin sounds a beggar’s note
    Where one the nightingale has heard,
  But he for whom no silver throat
    Its liquid music ever stirred,
    Deems robin still the sweetest bird.

A CORN-SONG

  On the wide veranda white,
   In the purple failing light,
  Sits the master while the sun is lowly burning;
  And his dreamy thoughts are drowned
  In the softly flowing sound
  Of the corn-songs of the field-hands slow returning.

      Oh, we hoe de co’n
      Since de ehly mo’n;
      Now de sinkin’ sun
      Says de day is done.

  O’er the fields with heavy tread,
  Light of heart and high of head,
  Though the halting steps be labored, slow, and weary;
  Still the spirits brave and strong
  Find a comforter in song,
  And their corn-song rises ever loud and cheery.

      Oh, we hoe de co’n
      Since de ehly mo’n;
      Now de sinkin’ sun
      Says de day is done.

  To the master in his seat,
  Comes the burden, full and sweet,
  Of the mellow minor music growing clearer,
  As the toilers raise the hymn,
  Thro’ the silence dusk and dim,
  To the cabin’s restful shelter drawing nearer.

      Oh, we hoe de co’n
      Since de ehly mo’n;
      Now de sinkin’ sun
      Says de day is done.

  And a tear is in the eye
  Of the master sitting by,
  As he listens to the echoes low-replying
  To the music’s fading calls
  As it faints away and falls
  Into silence, deep within the cabin dying.

      Oh, we hoe de co’n
      Since de ehly mo’n;
      Now de sinkin’ sun
      Says de day is done.

DISCOVERED

  Seen you down at chu’ch las’ night,
    Nevah min’, Miss Lucy. 
  What I mean? oh, dat ’s all right,
    Nevah min’, Miss Lucy. 
  You was sma’t ez sma’t could be,
  But you could n’t hide f’om me. 
  Ain’t I got two eyes to see! 
    Nevah min’, Miss Lucy.

  Guess you thought you’s awful keen;
    Nevah min’, Miss Lucy. 
  Evahthing you done, I seen;
    Nevah min’, Miss Lucy. 
  Seen him tek yo’ ahm jes’ so,
  When he got outside de do’—­
  Oh, I know dat man ‘s yo’ beau! 
    Nevah min’, Miss Lucy.