 | The ghost's entry and other poems |  |
159
A CANDLE'S LIGHT
ON THE STUDENT'S LIBRARY TABLE
O humble and yet bright!
Making thy sacrifice so noiselessly,—
Burning thy lovely life away, to light
Diviner light for me!
Making thy sacrifice so noiselessly,—
Burning thy lovely life away, to light
Diviner light for me!
In my hushed room around,
In thy wise circle, come the Great and Good:
Masters of men yet servants, without sound
They visit my solitude.
In thy wise circle, come the Great and Good:
Masters of men yet servants, without sound
They visit my solitude.
Holy and high they shine,
Rapt faces, charming me with courage on
To follow steadfast on some path divine
Through darkness into dawn.
Rapt faces, charming me with courage on
To follow steadfast on some path divine
Through darkness into dawn.
160
The scholar's lonely sun,
Thou risest for him, when all the world repose,
O'er golden fields of thought, where, fortunate one
He reaps even while he sows! ...
Thou risest for him, when all the world repose,
O'er golden fields of thought, where, fortunate one
He reaps even while he sows! ...
Within my soul, deep down,
I read a lesson by thy sinking flame:
To wear a humble purpose like a crown
With no regard of fame:
I read a lesson by thy sinking flame:
To wear a humble purpose like a crown
With no regard of fame:
Like frankincense to burn
Unnoted life that man may see to read
Diviner words—though asking no return,
A candle for his need!
Unnoted life that man may see to read
Diviner words—though asking no return,
A candle for his need!
| The ghost's entry and other poems | |