 | Chips, fragments and vestiges by Gail Hamilton |  |
95
MORNING
Lying on my white couch
In the early day,
Through the open casement
I hear the breezes play.
In the early day,
Through the open casement
I hear the breezes play.
Quiet little greetings
To the dewy morn,
From each timid leaflet
Quiveringly upborne,
To the dewy morn,
From each timid leaflet
Quiveringly upborne,
Rustling through the grape vines
Twined to mystic shapes,
Stirring all the clusters
Of the purple grapes.
Twined to mystic shapes,
Stirring all the clusters
Of the purple grapes.
In the golden sunlight
On my chamber floor,
Lo the shadows flitting,
Flitting evermore.
On my chamber floor,
Lo the shadows flitting,
Flitting evermore.
Falling on the wainscot
Brown and worn and old,
Wrought by fairy sunbeams
Into burnished gold.
Brown and worn and old,
Wrought by fairy sunbeams
Into burnished gold.
96
Bathed in softened splendor
Lies the antique room,
“Fairy sunbeams” chasing
Far the midnight gloom.
Lies the antique room,
“Fairy sunbeams” chasing
Far the midnight gloom.
All the velvet cushion
Whence upriseth prayer,
Wreathing with a halo
Of impurpled air.
Whence upriseth prayer,
Wreathing with a halo
Of impurpled air.
Resting on the Christ-head
With a solemn light,
Mysteries revealing
Shrouded erst in night.
With a solemn light,
Mysteries revealing
Shrouded erst in night.
Jesu! God-Man! pity.
On my anguish wild,
Turn thy face benignant
To thy suffering child.
On my anguish wild,
Turn thy face benignant
To thy suffering child.
Still the fiery surgings
Of my tortured soul,
Sorrow-tossed and sin-stained,
Make me pure and whole.
Of my tortured soul,
Sorrow-tossed and sin-stained,
Make me pure and whole.
So the morning walketh
Gloriously forth,
Breathing fragrant incense
From the grateful earth.
Gloriously forth,
Breathing fragrant incense
From the grateful earth.
97
Thou too from thy slumbers
Wake, O spirit mine,
Gather up thy garments,
Show a life divine.
Wake, O spirit mine,
Gather up thy garments,
Show a life divine.
Weak Despair, Avaunt!
Thou hast held me long,
Leaps my soul defiant,
I am strong! am strong.
Thou hast held me long,
Leaps my soul defiant,
I am strong! am strong.
| Chips, fragments and vestiges by Gail Hamilton | |