 | Spindrift |  |
178
TWO FRAGMENTS.
Lowly breathe and softly tread,
Bow the heart with holy fear
By the still, white-curtained bed;
For in silence deep and dread
Death and Life are watching here!
And a new-made father keeps
Vigil, wrapt in speechless prayer,
And by her new-born babe, a-weary, sleeps
A mother young and fair.
While around the chamber dim,
Ears to whom the power is given—
Eyes illumed by light from Heaven
Hear and see them where they stand—
Bended head and folded hand—
Cherubim and Seraphim;
Singing as of old they sang
When the new-created earth
On its path of glory sprang,
And all the ethereal depths with crystal echoes rang!
But now their solemn anthems roll,
To hail a nobler—a diviner birth—
Nobler, diviner far
Than flower-crowned earth, or glory-girded star!
For here, since set of sun,
A new Creation Day hath been;
And angel eyes with awful joy have seen
For an Immortal Human Soul
A new Eternity begun!
Bow the heart with holy fear
By the still, white-curtained bed;
For in silence deep and dread
Death and Life are watching here!
And a new-made father keeps
Vigil, wrapt in speechless prayer,
And by her new-born babe, a-weary, sleeps
A mother young and fair.
While around the chamber dim,
Ears to whom the power is given—
Eyes illumed by light from Heaven
Hear and see them where they stand—
Bended head and folded hand—
Cherubim and Seraphim;
Singing as of old they sang
When the new-created earth
179
And all the ethereal depths with crystal echoes rang!
But now their solemn anthems roll,
To hail a nobler—a diviner birth—
Nobler, diviner far
Than flower-crowned earth, or glory-girded star!
For here, since set of sun,
A new Creation Day hath been;
And angel eyes with awful joy have seen
For an Immortal Human Soul
A new Eternity begun!
Now the fevered vigil's done;
Let our loud lamenting cease,
For our Darling is at peace:
Life—not Death, the prize hath won!
Let our loud lamenting cease,
For our Darling is at peace:
Life—not Death, the prize hath won!
Round the still form, white and cold,—
Stainless temple where so late
A blessed Soul held earthly state,—
Smooth the grave-robe's icy fold.
Stainless temple where so late
A blessed Soul held earthly state,—
Smooth the grave-robe's icy fold.
180
Other mansion hath She now;
Other, purer garment wears;
Other sound than weeping hears,
With Christ's kiss upon her brow!—
Other, purer garment wears;
Other sound than weeping hears,
With Christ's kiss upon her brow!—
One more look into the face!
Dear, dead face, that ever seemed
As though some distant star had gleamed
Upon it, with supernal grace.
Dear, dead face, that ever seemed
As though some distant star had gleamed
Upon it, with supernal grace.
One more touch of those pure lips,—
And then farewell, thou sweet, pale clay!
Whence She we loved is rapt away
In Death's divine apocalypse.
And then farewell, thou sweet, pale clay!
Whence She we loved is rapt away
In Death's divine apocalypse.
| Spindrift | |