The Poetical Works of (Richard Monckton Milnes) Lord Houghton | ||
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XI. THE PEACE OF GOD.
“The blessed shall hear no vain words, but only the word—Peace.”
Kuran, chap. xix. v. 63.
Peace is God's direct assurance
To the souls that win release
From this world of hard endurance—
Peace—he tells us—only Peace.
To the souls that win release
From this world of hard endurance—
Peace—he tells us—only Peace.
There is Peace in lifeless matter—
There is Peace in dreamless sleep—
Will then Death our being shatter
In annihilation's deep?
There is Peace in dreamless sleep—
Will then Death our being shatter
In annihilation's deep?
Ask you this? O mortal trembler!
Hear the Peace that Death affords—
For your God is no dissembler,
Cheating you with double words:—
Hear the Peace that Death affords—
For your God is no dissembler,
Cheating you with double words:—
To this life's inquiring traveller,
Peace of knowledge of all good;
To the anxious truth-unraveller,
Peace of wisdom understood:—
Peace of knowledge of all good;
To the anxious truth-unraveller,
Peace of wisdom understood:—
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To the loyal wife, affection
Towards her husband, free from fear,—
To the faithful friend, selection
Of all memories kind and dear:—
Towards her husband, free from fear,—
To the faithful friend, selection
Of all memories kind and dear:—
To the lover, full fruition
Of an unexhausted joy,—
To the warior, crowned ambition,
With no envy's base alloy:—
Of an unexhausted joy,—
To the warior, crowned ambition,
With no envy's base alloy:—
To the ruler, sense of action,
Working out his great intent,—
To the prophet, satisfaction
In the mission he was sent:—
Working out his great intent,—
To the prophet, satisfaction
In the mission he was sent:—
To the poet, conscious glory
Flowing from his Father's face:—
Such is Peace in holy story,
Such is Peace in heavenly grace.
Flowing from his Father's face:—
Such is Peace in holy story,
Such is Peace in heavenly grace.
The Poetical Works of (Richard Monckton Milnes) Lord Houghton | ||