Lines to E. H. F.

This poem was written by Ellen Murray, a co-founder of the Penn School on St. Helena Island in South Carolina. The poem was originally published in the Newport Mercury on June 6, 1863.

Married at St. Helena Island. S. C., in May, J. M. Fairfield, Esq., to Nellis Winsor

Tis said, whene’er the sun shines on
A bride’s uncovered head,
With rosebuds white as holy thoughts,
Clustered in beauty there,
It plights an oath that after-life
Shall never miss its ray.
And sunshine round the heart and home
For evermore shall stay.

But now, the sun that glimmers down,
Athwart the live oak tree,
With Southern luxury of light,
Has deeper words for thee,
It meets no chains beside thy home,
It sees no better eyes-
Look up, remembered wrongs to drive
The sunshine from thy skies

But only smiles from those who share
Thy joys this festal day,
And bless thee for thy nation’s sake
In this their happiest May;
While bright-eyed children watch each word,
Wondering their teacher’s face
Should blush beneath its coronal
With such sweet child-like grace.

And so the sunshine blesses thee,
With promise from above,
Of love divine, which in its sea,
Includes all lesser love,
Which when the sunshine vanisheth
As earthlight must at least,
Shall be to thee far more than all
The sunlight of the past.

St Helena, S.C.
Ellen