
The Shepherdess of Rolleboise, by Daniel Ridgway Knight, 1839-1924
As I walked beside the river
Between this plane and forever
I could hear a whisper saying –
Floating on the rain cooled breeze –
“Cross now, cross the Jordan river
Come with me and live forever
Where the children, haply playing,
Never know pain or disease,
Never know the constant struggle
Never know the tears or heartbreak
Never know the way it feels
To die a little every day.”
by Jennifer Grassman, 2013