The Poetical Works of George Barlow In Ten [Eleven] Volumes |
 | I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
 | VIII. |
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| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. |
 | The Poetical Works of George Barlow |  |
II
For by our deeds, and by our deeds alone,
God judges us,—if righteous God there be.
Creeds are as thistle-down wind-tost and blown,
But deeds abide throughout eternity.
God judges us,—if righteous God there be.
Creeds are as thistle-down wind-tost and blown,
But deeds abide throughout eternity.
It matters little, so that love be there,
Whether you think that legends have their day
Then pass, with all they held of foul or fair,
Or whether still, Church-pent, you praise and pray.
Whether you think that legends have their day
Then pass, with all they held of foul or fair,
Or whether still, Church-pent, you praise and pray.
It matters little whether you discern
In Venus' limbs a sweetness past man's speech,—
Heaven in the rose, a glory in the fern,
A million jewels on the sunlit beach;
In Venus' limbs a sweetness past man's speech,—
Heaven in the rose, a glory in the fern,
A million jewels on the sunlit beach;
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Or whether you elect to burn and pant
For heavenly splendours glittering past the tomb,
Heedless that God, withholding these, would grant
Your eyes a sight of leagues of furze in bloom.
For heavenly splendours glittering past the tomb,
Heedless that God, withholding these, would grant
Your eyes a sight of leagues of furze in bloom.
Whether you hold that Christ revealed to man
The sweetness of the land beyond the grave,
Or that Keats felt as never mortal can
The sweetness of the earth he came to save:
The sweetness of the land beyond the grave,
Or that Keats felt as never mortal can
The sweetness of the earth he came to save:
Whether you deem that Musset felt the whole
Of young love's rapture as none else can feel,
Or that the wild bright ocean's very soul
Was Byron's, past all question or appeal:
Of young love's rapture as none else can feel,
Or that the wild bright ocean's very soul
Was Byron's, past all question or appeal:
Whether you worship Shakespeare as God's son
And Hugo as God's son, in very deed,
Or in the older manner worship one,
One God-man only, and nought else concede:
And Hugo as God's son, in very deed,
Or in the older manner worship one,
One God-man only, and nought else concede:
Whether you hold that Dante brought to light
For man pure love, as pure love is to be,
And pierced the darkness of hell's lampless night
Retaining still song's tongue, and eyes to see:
For man pure love, as pure love is to be,
And pierced the darkness of hell's lampless night
Retaining still song's tongue, and eyes to see:
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Whether you hold that Turner once revealed,
Revealed for ever, perfect landscape-art;
That through the song of Shelley music pealed,
Pure as from pure depths of God's very heart:
Revealed for ever, perfect landscape-art;
That through the song of Shelley music pealed,
Pure as from pure depths of God's very heart:
All matters little.—Worship God in Christ,
Or in the blossoms, or within the sun;
Be heathen, Christian—but be not enticed
By any creed to leave true work undone.
Or in the blossoms, or within the sun;
Be heathen, Christian—but be not enticed
By any creed to leave true work undone.
One man will love the pleasures of the earth,
Another long for pleasures in the sky;
One finds his music in a young girl's mirth,
And on her lips his immortality:
Another long for pleasures in the sky;
One finds his music in a young girl's mirth,
And on her lips his immortality:
Another deems that human love is vain,
That only in Christ God's likeness must be sought;
Another toils through a long life to gain
A scholar's insight into ancient thought:
That only in Christ God's likeness must be sought;
Another toils through a long life to gain
A scholar's insight into ancient thought:
Nought matters save our deeds.—If right we do,
God is with us, Jehovah is our friend:
If self we worship, though our creed be true
We shall be found without God at the end.
God is with us, Jehovah is our friend:
If self we worship, though our creed be true
We shall be found without God at the end.
| The Poetical Works of George Barlow | |