[Poems by Cary in] The Poetical Works Of Alice and Phoebe Cary | ||
THE SURE WITNESS.
The solemn wood had spread
Shadows around my head;
“Curtains they are,” I said,
“Hung dim and still about the house of prayer.”
Softly among the limbs,
Turning the leaves of hymns,
I heard the winds, and asked if God were there.
No voice replied, but while I listening stood,
Sweet peace made holy hushes through the wood.
Shadows around my head;
“Curtains they are,” I said,
“Hung dim and still about the house of prayer.”
Softly among the limbs,
Turning the leaves of hymns,
I heard the winds, and asked if God were there.
No voice replied, but while I listening stood,
Sweet peace made holy hushes through the wood.
With ruddy, open hand,
I saw the wild rose stand
Beside the green gate of the summer hills;
And pulling at her dress,
I cried, “Sweet hermitess,
Hast thou beheld Him who the dew distills?”
No voice replied, but while I listening bent,
Her gracious beauty made my heart content.
I saw the wild rose stand
Beside the green gate of the summer hills;
And pulling at her dress,
I cried, “Sweet hermitess,
Hast thou beheld Him who the dew distills?”
No voice replied, but while I listening bent,
Her gracious beauty made my heart content.
The moon in splendor shone;
“She walketh heaven alone,
And seeth all things,” to myself I mused;
“Hast thou beheld Him, then,
Who hides Himself from men
In that great power through nature interfused?”
No speech made answer, and no sign appeared,
But in the silence I was soothed and cheered.
“She walketh heaven alone,
And seeth all things,” to myself I mused;
“Hast thou beheld Him, then,
Who hides Himself from men
In that great power through nature interfused?”
No speech made answer, and no sign appeared,
But in the silence I was soothed and cheered.
Waking one time, strange awe
Thrilling my soul, I saw
A kingly splendor round about the night;
Such cunning work the hand
Of spinner never planned,—
The finest wool may not be washed so white.
“Hast thou come out of heaven?” I asked; and lo!
The snow was all the answer of the snow.
Thrilling my soul, I saw
A kingly splendor round about the night;
Such cunning work the hand
Of spinner never planned,—
The finest wool may not be washed so white.
“Hast thou come out of heaven?” I asked; and lo!
The snow was all the answer of the snow.
Then my heart said, “Give o'er;
Question no more, no more!
The wind, the snow-storm, the wild hermit flower,
The illuminated air,
The pleasure after prayer,
Proclaim the unoriginated Power!
The mystery that hides Him here and there.
Bears the sure witness He is everywhere.”
Question no more, no more!
The wind, the snow-storm, the wild hermit flower,
The illuminated air,
The pleasure after prayer,
Proclaim the unoriginated Power!
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Bears the sure witness He is everywhere.”
[Poems by Cary in] The Poetical Works Of Alice and Phoebe Cary | ||