by Ella Wheeler Wilcox (1850 - 1919)

One of us two
Language: English 
The day will dawn when one of us shall hearken
In vain to hear a voice that has grown dumb.
And morns will fade, noons pale, and shadows darken,
While sad eyes watch for feet that never come

One of us two must sometime face existence
Alone with memories that buy sharpen pain.
And these sweet days shall shine back in the distance,
Like dreams of summer dawns, in nights of rain.

One of us two, with tortured heart half broken,
Shall read long-treasured letters through salt tears,
Shall kiss with anguished lips each cherished token
That speaks of these love-crowned, delicious years

One of us two shall find all life, all beauty,
All joy on earth, a tale forever done;
Shall know henceforth that life means only duty
O God! O God! have pity on that one!

Confirmed with Ella Wheeler Wilcox, Sonnets of Sorrow and Triumph, New York: George H. Doran, 1918.


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  • Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Frank Siller (1835 - 1901) , "Einst kommt der Tag" ; composed by Robert Goldbeck.

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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2022-01-05
Line count: 16
Word count: 138