 | Later Lyrics |  |
122
THE END.
Death entered where Love was waiting
With the frosted lily-crown,—
Pale pontiff, shadow-mating,
Waving the life-flame down.
With the frosted lily-crown,—
Pale pontiff, shadow-mating,
Waving the life-flame down.
His slaves, with robes of whiteness,
Shrouded the glowing face:
Gone is the vision of brightness,
A ghost is in its place.
Shrouded the glowing face:
Gone is the vision of brightness,
A ghost is in its place.
They bore her with solemn knelling,
By saintly crypt and nave,
To her new-appointed dwelling,—
The cloisters of the grave.
By saintly crypt and nave,
To her new-appointed dwelling,—
The cloisters of the grave.
123
There, 'mong the silent sisters,
She tarries, with folded palms:
Where the passing torch-light glisters,
They answer in whispered psalms.
She tarries, with folded palms:
Where the passing torch-light glisters,
They answer in whispered psalms.
But as one the convent hideth,
At the festivals of God,
From the covert where she bideth,
Sends holy song abroad;
At the festivals of God,
From the covert where she bideth,
Sends holy song abroad;
So she, whom then we buried
With manifold sob and strain,
Sends back her song, love-varied,
To waken our joy again,—
With manifold sob and strain,
Sends back her song, love-varied,
To waken our joy again,—
Sends back the flame of fervor
That warms not her frozen breast,
To guide Love's true deserver
To her place in the fields of rest.
That warms not her frozen breast,
To guide Love's true deserver
To her place in the fields of rest.
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