Matthew Wing, the son of Giles Wing & Mary Jane Cornell,
and the husband of Hannah Parr wrote this poem to his daughter,
Sylvia Wing Baker. Matthew was ill and knew that his illness would result in death.
Sylvia wrote that this was "A few verses composed by my father and sent to me in
the first letter he sent one after I was married."

This poem give us some insight into the person that Matthew Wing was. I so
appreciate that Lisa Holley (Sylvia's descendant) sent this to Steve Button and that he
passed it along to me to use on the website with Lisa's permission.

Weep not my dear girl when the dark grave is closing. Above my cold ashes then weep not for me. When the heart that now aches in the grave Is reposing Thy fathers freed spirit will watch over thee. Let no tears dim thine eyes that soon I must leave thee And pass the lone valley the realms of shade Tis the mandate of mercy O let it not grieve thee I go to the regions where joy never fades. I muse on the hour girl when sorrows cold finger Will point to thy bosom and mark thee it's prey Not long oe'r thy head will the tempest cloud linger to chase of the brightness of lifes early day. Forget me whenever my memory is painful then keep it no longer to trouble thy breast But O to my memory be not is disdainful I prize thee, the dearest and brightest and best. But now fartheewell I feel the dread warning that death fast approaches pain rages anew I will meet thee again on eternities morning So farewell Dear Sylvia my Daughter Adue