The Poetical Works of George Barlow In Ten [Eleven] Volumes |
I. |
II. |
III. |
IV. |
V. |
VI. |
VII. |
VIII. |
IX. |
X. |
XI. |
I. |
II. |
III. |
IV. |
V. |
VI. |
VII. |
X. |
XI. |
XII. |
XIII. |
XIV. |
XV. |
XVI. |
XVII. |
A MODERN PREACHER
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The Poetical Works of George Barlow | ||
206
A MODERN PREACHER
I
In church, a few,A pale-eyed crew;
Around, the darkness of a starless sea,
And one who guides
Through blind deaf tides
That surge and leap to windward and to lee.
II
Just gathered hereIn hope, in fear,
In doubt, in wonder, a strange wandering band,
In this ark-church
Whose tossed planks lurch
From side to side, these people kneel and stand.
207
III
“What hope,” they say,“For us to-day?
The old God is dead. What new God canst thou bring
O preacher pale?
Lo! our ship's sail
Shrieks, as the wild wind-scourges lash and sting.
IV
“Preach. We will hearWith eager ear
And wrought-up passionate heart what thou canst tell.
Is there a God?
Why must man plod
Through miles of earth that might be miles of hell?
V
“The lights withinThis church, where din
And turmoil just for one sweet moment cease,
Are glad and bright.
But what wild night
Outside! What hope for man of lasting peace!
208
VI
“Preach, preach. We loveThy face, above
The old pulpit, full of noble thought and high.
But when we leave
The church this eve,
How wails the wind across black starless sky!
VII
“Steer the ship well,Past shoals of hell,
Past white fierce waters, past the cliffs that ring
With clash of tides:
The wind derides
Our hearts and voices even while we sing.
VIII
“Yet preach thou, friend.All hath an end:
Thy hope, our doubt, the wild world's storm-tossed way.
Steer straight thy church
In noble search
Through lampless midnight for the golden day.”
1885.
The Poetical Works of George Barlow | ||