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At age 16, A.L. Manning's father sent him from their home in East New Market, MD to Dickinson College in Carlisle, PA to further his education. A.L. Manning was very homesick. He wrote many letters to his father in 1847 and 1848 telling of his despair being away from his home, friends, and family. In a December 1847 letter he included a short poem in a letter to his father. Click here to see the text from the letter that contains the poem. The song is created from the poem and additIonal lines in his letter that precede the poem.
"Dear Father I am going to send this piece of poetry to cousin Mary
with the addition of two more lines to write in cousin Mary’s book, as it is my own composing."
When my heart ceases to beat,
When my tongue ceases to speak,
When my pulse is still in death
When my breast is without breath
When my cheek is pale in death;
When my hand ceases to be extended,
When my dying words in death are blended,
When I am lain within the silent tomb
To be buried in my youthful bloom.
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