| William Stanley Braithwaite, ed. (1878–1962). Anthology of Massachusetts Poets. 1922. |
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| The Returning |
| | | Sylvester Baxter |
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| WE long for her, we yearn for her— | |
| Yes, ardently we yearn | |
| For her return. | |
| Recalling those beloved days | |
| (Days intimate with ways | 5 |
| Of friends so near to us | |
| And life so dear to us), | |
| We yearn unspeakably for her return. | |
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| And come she must…. Yet while we trust | |
| We soon may see the passing of this agony | 10 |
| Which makes intrusive years still seem | |
| A fearsome dream, | |
| We know that when she comes | |
| She really comes not back again. | |
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| She’ll come in other guise | 15 |
| And under fairer skies— | |
| And yet to bitter pain! | |
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| That day she went away | |
| Our homes with laughing youth were filled. | |
| Where then was happiness | 20 |
| Is now distress, | |
| The laughter stilled; | |
| For when she left | |
| Youth followed her— | |
| We stay bereft. | 25 |
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| So all our golden joy | |
| For what she brings | |
| Must carry gray alloy: | |
| The sorrow that she can not lay, | |
| The mysery that she can not stay— | 30 |
| While all the gladsome songs she sings | |
| Must bear for undertones | |
| Old sighs and echoed moans. | |
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| As they who go away | |
| In flush of youth | 35 |
| May come quite worn and gray | |
| And bringing naught but ruth— | |
| So, when the strife shall cease, | |
| And when she comes at last, | |
| When all the armies vast | 40 |
| Shall at her feet | |
| Kneel down to greet | |
| Thrice welcome Peace, | |
| This world will be so changed | |
| (So many dear ones dead, | 45 |
| So many friends estranged, | |
| So many blessings fled, | |
| So many wonted ways forever barred, | |
| So many coming days forever marred) | |
| That then | 50 |
| She truly comes not back again— | |
| She, the Peace we knew. | |
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| Yet how we long for her! | |
| How ardently we yearn | |
| For her return! | 55 |
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