Page:The Poets and Poetry of the West.djvu/628

 GORDON A. STEWART. Gordon A. Stewakt was born on the eighteenth of April, 1833, in southern Ohio, and has always, by residence, literary effort and affection, been identified with the interests of the State and of the West. He has been associate editor of the Hardin Republican, but is now engaged at Kenton, in the practice of the law, to which he was admitted in 1855. A year or two afterward, he was married ; but his young wife, to whom he was most tenderly attached, died within a year from their marriage. In " The Spirit-Bride," JMr. Stewart beautifully touches upon the sorrow which desolated his life. The looking-forward, howevei', which characterizes this poem, characterizes many others that he has written. A deep religious feeling pervades them. In a lit- erary point of view his verses are graceful, with occasional marked felicities of expres- sion ; with here and there an absence of mind in regard to the nicer proprieties of art — of which probably no one is more conscious than the poet himself. Mr. Stewart ardently believes in a western literature, and has more than once bro- ken a shining lance in honor of it. His chief exploit in the cause, is a story, written in 1854, called " Autorial Life in the West," in which he portrays the literary disa- bilities supposed to exist here. THE SPIRIT-BRIDE. Many think that Heaven is far Beyond the light of the morning star — That cycling suns its guardians are ! But who think so, could never have known The pangs of the heart, left in darkness alone, liobb'd of the light that round it shone ! Heaven is nearer than they suppose, For, putting aside their earthly clothes, They lay down in its sweet repose. Heaven is nearer than they suspect, For did they but a moment reflect. They might hear voices of God's elect, Singing His praise in Nature's psalm, At the feet of the Great "I Am," Around the cross of the crucified Lamb ! 'Tis no lone isle in a shoreless main, Whence loved ones come to us never again To assuage our sorrow, or ease our pain ! No ! 'Tis a world near allied to this ; For the eye that closes one moment in this, May open the next, in heavenly bliss ! Each praying soul has a Pisgah-height, To which it may chnib, through adversity's night. And behold the land of heavenly light. (612)