23 November 2011

Anna Maria Fiegenbaum

1850 — 1937

Poem

The following poetry is from the pen of Miss Mary Fiegenbaum, daughter of Rev. Henry Fiegenbaum, who lost her sight by spasms and small-pox when but ten years of age.  She is now twenty-five and is totally blind.  She has acquired the art of writing in both the English and German languages, and keeps up a correspondence with a number persons.  Her mind is quite active, and she has composed a number of poems for the press, the last of which we hereby publish:

The Blind Girl's Reverie.

In darkness I wander my way,
   No beauties of Nature I see;
Though lonely and long seems the night
   There's something that comforteth me.

For numerous blessings doth spend
   That Heavenly Father so kind,
Though they are consealed from my sight
   Their way to my soul they can find.

The breezes, so calm and so mild,
   The sunbeam, so pleasant and warm,
Kiss lovingly often my check,
   And gently throw round me their charm.

The beautiful flowers I smell,
   The pretty birds' song I can hear;
So flowers and birds, though unseen,
   Make me happy when they are near.

Far happier though I am made
   By the friends who love me so well;
Kind words, kind deeds steal deep in my heart,
   Their sweetness I'd fail should I tell.

But sweeter, yes sweetest of all,
   Is this, that in heaven's bright light
I shall see more than here I've missed;
   Adieu, then, forever to Night!!

A. M. F.

Oregon, Mo., Aug. 30, 1875.

Source: Anna Maria Fiegenbaum, "The Blind Girl's Reverie," The Holt County Sentinel (Oregon, Missouri); Friday, 3 September 1875; Page 3, Column 5.

Digital copies accessed through Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers (The Library of Congress) in November 2011.

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