Unanswered by Elsie Herrick Wood Warner

This is to greet thee whom I shall not see;
My lips call dumbly to thee day by day,
Needing thee near at hand and missing thee,
Or near or far, still thou art far away.

A hundred hopes are living in my heart:
Poor stunted children thy neglect has maimed,
A hundred questionings that stir and start:
Thine heritage that still remains unclaimed.

Somewhat there is a veil, a spirit-wall
So subtly thin, time builded and so strong,
As though the busy months, the world and all,
Were set between our souls to do them wrong.

All through the years my heart has leaned on thine
Those were bright years they will not come again
Summer will come, the sun will still give shine,
But I, I call on thee, and call in vain.

From: Herrick, E, Portraits and Sketches, 1910, Elkin Matthews: London, p. 32.
(https://archive.org/details/portraitssketche00herrrich)

Date: 1906

By: Elsie Herrick Wood Warner (18??-19??)