 | Mansoul or The Riddle of the World |  |
Assembled thither, many unto him are:
Young men the most, whose souls an-hungered seek;
Of the saints lips, their spiritual meat.
With whom be found some few of riper years:
That rénounced Worlds desires, their former selves
Forsake, for their souls' health; and elders, which
All else forget, to live of world's lean almes;
Following the Master's steps, whereso he goeth;
Preaching in field, and street, Mans perfect life;
From place to place.
Young men the most, whose souls an-hungered seek;
Of the saints lips, their spiritual meat.
With whom be found some few of riper years:
That rénounced Worlds desires, their former selves
Forsake, for their souls' health; and elders, which
All else forget, to live of world's lean almes;
Following the Master's steps, whereso he goeth;
Preaching in field, and street, Mans perfect life;
From place to place.
The same wide-spread green boughs,
A little company of wife-folk shrouds apart:
Which disenamoured óf Worlds cares, embrace;
A life, from every fleshly taint released:
Widows be those most part. Following far off;
They daily Instruction seek of thé Saints lips.
A little company of wife-folk shrouds apart:
Which disenamoured óf Worlds cares, embrace;
A life, from every fleshly taint released:
65
They daily Instruction seek of thé Saints lips.
Is one of them that gentle bride, time was;
Whom he, in days of hís ingenuous youth,
Espoused, with bliss of heart, as custom was.
And dured that joy, betwixt them both, till day;
Whenas him thought, him called, Celestial Voice;
And dívine ray him beckoned from the Sky.
Whom he, in days of hís ingenuous youth,
Espoused, with bliss of heart, as custom was.
And dured that joy, betwixt them both, till day;
Whenas him thought, him called, Celestial Voice;
And dívine ray him beckoned from the Sky.
Whereto not disobedient, his rapt spirit,
Contending long in anguish with himself:
Fleeing the joy tumultous ánd loud Voice.
Of pipes and timpans, ín his fathers court:
He, her new delivered, the same night forsook.
Dim were his eyes, whiles he gazed on them both;
Mother and babe, in her sweet bosom, sleeping.
Contending long in anguish with himself:
Fleeing the joy tumultous ánd loud Voice.
Of pipes and timpans, ín his fathers court:
He, her new delivered, the same night forsook.
Dim were his eyes, whiles he gazed on them both;
Mother and babe, in her sweet bosom, sleeping.
Lifting then the door-curtain to part forth;
He loving, sighed. He, a man; áh! would have taken,
Their new-born, in his fathers arms. Nathless;
Though wrought his heart with force, not looking back;
He issued tó cold clear night-stars, those eyes
Of Gods; (confused, he wist not what he would!)
To wander, as one outcast, in wilful want;
Forgetful of his good and father's house:
Thirsting, in agony óf his inward spirit;
If haply he might not hear, in field or forest;
Yet once that heavenly Voice, to his souls rest;
And see that ray, in Worlds default of Light.
He loving, sighed. He, a man; áh! would have taken,
Their new-born, in his fathers arms. Nathless;
Though wrought his heart with force, not looking back;
He issued tó cold clear night-stars, those eyes
Of Gods; (confused, he wist not what he would!)
66
Forgetful of his good and father's house:
Thirsting, in agony óf his inward spirit;
If haply he might not hear, in field or forest;
Yet once that heavenly Voice, to his souls rest;
And see that ray, in Worlds default of Light.
| Mansoul or The Riddle of the World | |