Poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Good Night

The day is at its golden height,
   No shadow falls on sea or land;
And yet to thee I say Good night,
   As we stand here hand clasped in hand,
      Good night--Good night.

The laughing waves are summer blue,
   The bees hum in the sun’s warm light;
But frosts of winter chill me through,
   I shiver as I say Good night.
      Good night--Good night.

How often at the close of day
   With smiling lips we’ve said those words:
And listened as we turned away
   To hear them echoed by the birds,
      Good night--Good night.

We did not dream then of this hour,
   This sad, sad hour for you and me;
We did not dream there was a power
   Could force us for eternity
      To say Good night.

Good night--nay, turn your eyes away;
   I cannot bear their tender light.
Now evermore to golden day,
   To golden hope, a last Good night,
      Good night--Good night.

1. The Beautiful Land of Nod
2. So Long in Coming
3. What Gain?
4. As by Fire
5. Mother’s Loss

Digby Dolben Good Night ("The sun has set")

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