Israel in Egypt A Poem. By Edwin Atherstone |
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 | Israel in Egypt |  |
“He whom I spake of. On his gentle head
Lay thou thy hand, and bless him.”
Lay thou thy hand, and bless him.”
At that word,—
Already by such presence spirit-bowed,—
On one knee sank the youth, and bent the head,
And, palm to palm, like one who utters prayer,
The blessing waited. But, while Moses stood,
Silently looking on him,—for, with joy,
Again he felt a chosen-one,—by the youth
Kneeled that fair virgin likewise; and her head
Bowed meekly; and her pure hands, palm to palm,
Pressed also. In a holy silence thus
The twain awaited. Mid that solemn hush,
With eyes uplift, in voiceless prayer awhile
Stood Moses; then, on each bowed head, a hand
Lightly imposed; and, with such utterance deep
As though before the very Throne he kneeled,
Thus spake the blessing. “On these chosen ones
Oh God of Israel look! I feel, I feel,
That Thine alone they are, in all their ways,
In life, in death! These temples pure, Oh God!
Hallow for ever: let no breath of sin
Enter within them; that, Thy purpose high
Through them accomplished here,—in robes of light,
At Thy right hand in glory may they sit,
Thee praising and adoring evermore!”
Already by such presence spirit-bowed,—
On one knee sank the youth, and bent the head,
And, palm to palm, like one who utters prayer,
The blessing waited. But, while Moses stood,
Silently looking on him,—for, with joy,
Again he felt a chosen-one,—by the youth
Kneeled that fair virgin likewise; and her head
Bowed meekly; and her pure hands, palm to palm,
Pressed also. In a holy silence thus
The twain awaited. Mid that solemn hush,
With eyes uplift, in voiceless prayer awhile
Stood Moses; then, on each bowed head, a hand
Lightly imposed; and, with such utterance deep
As though before the very Throne he kneeled,
Thus spake the blessing. “On these chosen ones
Oh God of Israel look! I feel, I feel,
That Thine alone they are, in all their ways,
In life, in death! These temples pure, Oh God!
Hallow for ever: let no breath of sin
Enter within them; that, Thy purpose high
Through them accomplished here,—in robes of light,
At Thy right hand in glory may they sit,
Thee praising and adoring evermore!”
| Israel in Egypt | |