 | Orta-undis, and other poems |  |
69
THE TWO GIVERS.
Every morning, every morrow,
When at noon I cross the river,
Thee I thank right heartily
That thou art so kind a giver.
When at noon I cross the river,
Thee I thank right heartily
That thou art so kind a giver.
There it is, we nightly linger,
Gazing down into the stream;
It is like a nightly vision,
It is like a pleasant dream.
Gazing down into the stream;
It is like a nightly vision,
It is like a pleasant dream.
For we see, in silence standing
With thy fingers locked in mine,
In the waters darkly flowing
All the greater planets shine.
With thy fingers locked in mine,
In the waters darkly flowing
All the greater planets shine.
70
From the bridge and from the barges
On the river, redder lights
Gleam: Beyond the sleeping village
Others show along the heights.
On the river, redder lights
Gleam: Beyond the sleeping village
Others show along the heights.
All the city lies behind us,
Like a hive with busy cells;
And it warns how time is flying,
By the chiming of its bells.
Like a hive with busy cells;
And it warns how time is flying,
By the chiming of its bells.
All the city lies behind us,
And the toil of human hands:
But the better God-creation
Visible before us stands.
And the toil of human hands:
But the better God-creation
Visible before us stands.
When Diana dimly rising
Through the openwork of trees,
On the cliff-sides, on the steeples
Travels down by slow degrees
Through the openwork of trees,
On the cliff-sides, on the steeples
Travels down by slow degrees
71
Silently the pallid splendor,
Till behind our shadows stream,
Like the shapes uncouth and dismal
We encounter in a dream.
Till behind our shadows stream,
Like the shapes uncouth and dismal
We encounter in a dream.
Then the cool and quiet hour
Tranquillizes all my soul;
I no longer thirst for wisdom
And for worldly self-control.
Tranquillizes all my soul;
I no longer thirst for wisdom
And for worldly self-control.
Thee I thank with tenderness,
That thou bearest with my faults;
Knowing thou dost love me truly,
All my better self exalts.
That thou bearest with my faults;
Knowing thou dost love me truly,
All my better self exalts.
And with stronger gratitude
Thank the Universal Giver,
For the cool and quiet evening,
For the woods and flowing river.
Thank the Universal Giver,
For the cool and quiet evening,
For the woods and flowing river.
72
Grateful most that he hath planted
Pleasure in these hearts of ours,
Not in works and world endeavors,
But the sight and scent of flowers.
Pleasure in these hearts of ours,
Not in works and world endeavors,
But the sight and scent of flowers.
1846.
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