 | This, that and the other |  |
THE ANTHEM.
One day, on a voyage of pleasure,
I entered a comet's car,
And followed the sun to the westward,
In his journey fiery and far;
Till I saw where the barges of heaven
Lay moored, in the silence deep,
And the azure sea was pouring
Down over the heavenly steep.
Their canvas of clouds they were reefing,
And over their broad decks shone
The rays of eternal glory
That beam from the great White Throne!
But a chant arose when the comet
Was gallantly bearing down,
And it swept from the barges at anchor
To the towers of the heavenly town.
'Twas a band of heavenly minstrels,
And they chanted a heavenly song,
For never such anthems of glory
Bore earthly breezes along.
The stars of the morning sang treble,
And the water-spouts muttered their bass,
And the Asteroids joined in the chorus,
Each one from his far-off place.
I entered a comet's car,
And followed the sun to the westward,
In his journey fiery and far;
Till I saw where the barges of heaven
Lay moored, in the silence deep,
And the azure sea was pouring
Down over the heavenly steep.
Their canvas of clouds they were reefing,
And over their broad decks shone
The rays of eternal glory
That beam from the great White Throne!
But a chant arose when the comet
Was gallantly bearing down,
And it swept from the barges at anchor
To the towers of the heavenly town.
'Twas a band of heavenly minstrels,
And they chanted a heavenly song,
For never such anthems of glory
Bore earthly breezes along.
The stars of the morning sang treble,
And the water-spouts muttered their bass,
And the Asteroids joined in the chorus,
Each one from his far-off place.
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And the thunder came in 'twixt the verses,
With his grand adagio-tone,
And higher and higher the chorus
Swelled up to the great White Throne!
And I took to my heart the lesson,
As we glided silently past,
Where the infinite navies of heaven
A shade on the azure sea cast —
That our voices must all do homage,
Be our places near or far,
And praise must come up from the earth-worm,
As well as the morning star!
With his grand adagio-tone,
And higher and higher the chorus
Swelled up to the great White Throne!
And I took to my heart the lesson,
As we glided silently past,
Where the infinite navies of heaven
A shade on the azure sea cast —
That our voices must all do homage,
Be our places near or far,
And praise must come up from the earth-worm,
As well as the morning star!
| This, that and the other | |