The Iceland year-book - 01.01.1926, Blaðsíða 49

To his breast his child he presses,
Nestling lovingly, and closely,
While imprinting sweet caresses
On his bronzed and hardened face;
And that child-like love transcendent,
Touched a chord within him pendant,
Added vigour to his pace.
Nearer still, o’er rock and boulder,
With a sad determination,
Bearing with him on his shoulder
All his life, and all his love.
She had given her life to hold him,
Passionately to enfold him
And her deep affection prove.
Now she lies in beauteous splendour,
And those shining golden tresses
Fall from off thai bosom tender,
That can never heave again.
Glistening robes of spotless whiteness,
Now bedeck her spirit’s brigtness,
Freed from sorrow and from pain.
Lo! how tenderly he kisses,
Once again that snowy forehead;
Though the hot return he misses
Faithful unto death he stands;
And his soul, to heaven ascending,
Finds with her its rest unending,
Peaceful, in th’eternal lands.*
* These verses, in a beautiful, unmistakably English,
handwriting, were found among wastepapers in a news-
paper office in Reykjavik in 1913. So far all attempts to
trace the author have failed. As to the source of the inspira-
tion there is no room for doubt. In one or two instances the
editor would have liked slightly to alter the punctuation,
but out of reverence for the unknown author he has refrained
from even so trivial a deviation from the original.
43