 | At Sunset |  |
101
LEONARD MONTEFIORE
By a way of pain and fire
Laid across thy heart's desire,
Thou hast swift arrival where
Ends for thee all earthly care.
Laid across thy heart's desire,
Thou hast swift arrival where
Ends for thee all earthly care.
From the dismal darkened room,
Where thou cam'st in manhood's bloom,
Where thy vigils of distress
Faded into nothingness,
Men a lifeless burthen carry
For a voyage that may not tarry.
Where thou cam'st in manhood's bloom,
Where thy vigils of distress
Faded into nothingness,
Men a lifeless burthen carry
For a voyage that may not tarry.
Thou in noble house wert bred,
Wisdom stood thy youth in stead,
Features of an ancient race
Looked in beauty from thy face.
'T was thy early wont to sit
With the men of lofty wit,
Hear the counsels that outshine
Ruby gem and ruby wine.
Wisdom stood thy youth in stead,
Features of an ancient race
Looked in beauty from thy face.
'T was thy early wont to sit
With the men of lofty wit,
Hear the counsels that outshine
Ruby gem and ruby wine.
Wail of kindred o'er the sea
Wakes our sorrowing sympathy,
And the hospitable land
That would take thee by the hand
Sadly yields thee to the wave
That doth bar thy island grave.
Wakes our sorrowing sympathy,
And the hospitable land
That would take thee by the hand
102
That doth bar thy island grave.
In this loss, so sad and cold,
Comfort we would still behold,
And, in this divorce of death,
Look beyond the failing breath.
For the doors of human pride
And illusion, opening wide,
Loose thee from this fabled scene,
To the steadfast life serene.
Prophet of the ancient psalm
Usher thee to holy calm.
On the heights where Moses trod
May thy soul commune with God.
Comfort we would still behold,
And, in this divorce of death,
Look beyond the failing breath.
For the doors of human pride
And illusion, opening wide,
Loose thee from this fabled scene,
To the steadfast life serene.
Prophet of the ancient psalm
Usher thee to holy calm.
On the heights where Moses trod
May thy soul commune with God.
Snows of age shall never rest
Heavy on thy manly crest.
Thro' no waning nor decay
Doth thy swift soul wing its way.
All the promise that we knew
Shall remain forever true.
And the gift that we surrender
With a spasm dear and tender
Goes to hands that never waste
What we give with grief and haste,
Till the Giver gives again
Life for death, and joy for pain.
Heavy on thy manly crest.
Thro' no waning nor decay
Doth thy swift soul wing its way.
All the promise that we knew
Shall remain forever true.
And the gift that we surrender
With a spasm dear and tender
Goes to hands that never waste
What we give with grief and haste,
Till the Giver gives again
Life for death, and joy for pain.
| At Sunset | |