 | Poems by Frances Sargent Osgood |  |
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SORROW AND JOY.
For ages circling with the accordant stars
To that immortal melody of love
By which all listening nature times her growth,
Our globe at last put forth its human flower;
And man, the wondrous child of earth and heaven,
The consummation of created things,
Nursed into being by all elements
Celestial or terrene, perfected, breathed.
When lo! entwined in beautiful embrace,
Two sister angels left the gates of heaven;
And both were lovely, yet unlike as are
Our radiant day, and night that sadly braids
Her dark and dewy locks with stars for gems.
The one all light and gladness; her soft hair,
Back floating from her child-like brow and eyes,
Had caught upon its waves the last warm ray
Of glory that stole through that closing gate;
And with a song her smiling lips did part,
That told the heavenly rapture of her heart.
The other, in majestic silence hush'd,
Her pale, pure face all luminous with thought,
Still turn'd her dark and eloquent eyes to heaven,
While through their tears a dream of beauty shone.
And so the mission'd twain descended swift,
While 'neath that close embrace of tears and light
A lovely rainbow bloom'd in air, and spann'd
With luminous arch the Earth; and, on the bridge
Alighting, they survey'd their destined home.
To that immortal melody of love
By which all listening nature times her growth,
Our globe at last put forth its human flower;
And man, the wondrous child of earth and heaven,
The consummation of created things,
Nursed into being by all elements
Celestial or terrene, perfected, breathed.
When lo! entwined in beautiful embrace,
Two sister angels left the gates of heaven;
And both were lovely, yet unlike as are
Our radiant day, and night that sadly braids
Her dark and dewy locks with stars for gems.
The one all light and gladness; her soft hair,
Back floating from her child-like brow and eyes,
Had caught upon its waves the last warm ray
Of glory that stole through that closing gate;
And with a song her smiling lips did part,
That told the heavenly rapture of her heart.
The other, in majestic silence hush'd,
239
Still turn'd her dark and eloquent eyes to heaven,
While through their tears a dream of beauty shone.
And so the mission'd twain descended swift,
While 'neath that close embrace of tears and light
A lovely rainbow bloom'd in air, and spann'd
With luminous arch the Earth; and, on the bridge
Alighting, they survey'd their destined home.
Here still they wander, each by Heaven commission'd;
Sorrow and Joy, both equally divine.
But coward man from the sad spirit shrinks,
Who would so kindly take him by the hand
And teach him lessons of angelic love;
Who would up-lead his soul to wondrous scenes
Of joy and love unspeakable; who would fill
His heart with sacred tenderness and truth.
His eyes, that look this earth's gross dust, see not
The mournful seraph's more than mortal grace;
And even her radiant sister, “young-eyed” Joy.
He scarcely knows by name when she doth come,
Nor recognises as God's messenger;
Save when she turns, o'erwearied by his coldness,
To fly afar,—then would he fain recall her;
For by the glory playing o'er her locks,
That ray they caught from closing heaven, he knows
“He entertain'd an angel unaware.”
Sorrow and Joy, both equally divine.
But coward man from the sad spirit shrinks,
Who would so kindly take him by the hand
And teach him lessons of angelic love;
Who would up-lead his soul to wondrous scenes
Of joy and love unspeakable; who would fill
His heart with sacred tenderness and truth.
His eyes, that look this earth's gross dust, see not
The mournful seraph's more than mortal grace;
And even her radiant sister, “young-eyed” Joy.
He scarcely knows by name when she doth come,
Nor recognises as God's messenger;
Save when she turns, o'erwearied by his coldness,
To fly afar,—then would he fain recall her;
For by the glory playing o'er her locks,
That ray they caught from closing heaven, he knows
“He entertain'd an angel unaware.”
| Poems by Frances Sargent Osgood | |