[Calibre fifty-four, in] Standard Recitations by best authors A choice collection of Beautiful Compositions Carefully Compiled for school, lyceum, parlor, and other entertainments |
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LIFE. |
 | [Calibre fifty-four, in] Standard Recitations by best authors |  |
21
LIFE.
An angel from the dazzling walls of light
And æons of celestial calm and grace,
Swept down the starry distance of space
To this gray earth of shadow and of night.
And æons of celestial calm and grace,
Swept down the starry distance of space
To this gray earth of shadow and of night.
A woman taught him human love's great might;
Hot tears for scarlet sins left their sad trace;
He felt earth's wrongs, its purple passions base,
And joined the shock of battle for the right.
Hot tears for scarlet sins left their sad trace;
He felt earth's wrongs, its purple passions base,
And joined the shock of battle for the right.
His seraph soul, shot through with carnal stain,
Deep, varied, a warm gem with color rife,
Denied the heaven he cared not to regain.
And, drifting toward the dark, where ends all strife,
In sickness, and in poverty, and pain,
He sighed, yet smiling whispered: This was life!
Deep, varied, a warm gem with color rife,
Denied the heaven he cared not to regain.
And, drifting toward the dark, where ends all strife,
In sickness, and in poverty, and pain,
He sighed, yet smiling whispered: This was life!
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