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The Voice of Many Waters.
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 | The Poetical Works of Frances Ridley Havergal |  |
The Voice of Many Waters.
Far away I heard it,
Stealing through the pines,
Like a whisper saintly,
Falling dimly, faintly,
Through the terraced vines.
Stealing through the pines,
Like a whisper saintly,
Falling dimly, faintly,
Through the terraced vines.
Freshening breezes bore it
Down the mountain slope;
So I turned and listened,
While the sunlight glistened
On the snowy cope.
Down the mountain slope;
So I turned and listened,
While the sunlight glistened
On the snowy cope.
382
Far away and dreamy
Was the Voice I heard;
Yet it pierced and found me,
Through the voices round me—
Song without a word.
Was the Voice I heard;
Yet it pierced and found me,
Through the voices round me—
Song without a word.
All the life and turmoil,
All the busy cheer
Melted in the flowing
Of that murmur, growing,
Claiming all my ear.
All the busy cheer
Melted in the flowing
Of that murmur, growing,
Claiming all my ear.
What the mountain-message,
I could never tell;
Such Eolian fluting
Hath no language suiting
What we write and spell.
I could never tell;
Such Eolian fluting
Hath no language suiting
What we write and spell.
Rather did it enter
Where no words can win,
Touching and unsealing
Springs of hidden feeling,
Slumbering deep within.
Where no words can win,
Touching and unsealing
Springs of hidden feeling,
Slumbering deep within.
Voice of many waters
Only heard afar!
Hushing, luring slowly,
With an influence holy,
Like the Orient Star.
Only heard afar!
Hushing, luring slowly,
With an influence holy,
Like the Orient Star.
383
Follow where it leadeth,
Till we stand below,
While the noble thunder
Wins the hush of wonder,
Silent in its glow.
Till we stand below,
While the noble thunder
Wins the hush of wonder,
Silent in its glow.
Light and sound triumphant
Fill the eye and ear;
Every pulse is beating
Quick unconscious greeting
To the vision near.
Fill the eye and ear;
Every pulse is beating
Quick unconscious greeting
To the vision near.
Rainbow-flames are wreathing
In the dazzling foam,
Fancy far transcending,
Power and beauty blending
In their radiant home.
In the dazzling foam,
Fancy far transcending,
Power and beauty blending
In their radiant home.
All the dreamy longing
Passes out of sight,
In a swift surrender
To the joyous splendour
Of this song of might.
Passes out of sight,
In a swift surrender
To the joyous splendour
Of this song of might.
Self is lost and hidden
As it peals along;
Fevered introspection,
Paler-browed reflection
Vanish in the song.
As it peals along;
Fevered introspection,
Paler-browed reflection
Vanish in the song.
384
For the spirit, lifted
From the dulling mists,
Takes a stronger moulding,
As the sound enfolding,
Bears it where it lists.
From the dulling mists,
Takes a stronger moulding,
As the sound enfolding,
Bears it where it lists.
Voice of many waters!
Must we turn away
From the crystal chorus
Now resounding o'er us
Through the flashing spray!
Must we turn away
From the crystal chorus
Now resounding o'er us
Through the flashing spray!
Far away we hear it,
Floating from the sky;
Mystic echo, falling
Through the stars, and calling
From the thrones on high.
Floating from the sky;
Mystic echo, falling
Through the stars, and calling
From the thrones on high.
There are voices round us,
Busy, quick, and loud;
All day long we hear them,
We are still so near them,
Still among the crowd.
Busy, quick, and loud;
All day long we hear them,
We are still so near them,
Still among the crowd.
Yet athwart the clamour
Falls it, faint and sweet,
Like the softest harp-tone,
Passing every sharp tone
Down the noisy street.
Falls it, faint and sweet,
Like the softest harp-tone,
Passing every sharp tone
Down the noisy street.
385
To the soul-recesses
Cleaving then its way,
Waking hidden yearning,
Unwilled impulse turning
To the Far Away.
Cleaving then its way,
Waking hidden yearning,
Unwilled impulse turning
To the Far Away.
Far away—and viewless,
Yet not all unknown—
In the murmur tracing
Soft notes interlacing
With familiar tone.
Yet not all unknown—
In the murmur tracing
Soft notes interlacing
With familiar tone.
So we start and listen!
While the murmur low
Falleth ever clearer,
Swelleth fuller, nearer
In melodious flow.
While the murmur low
Falleth ever clearer,
Swelleth fuller, nearer
In melodious flow.
Voice of many waters
From the height above
Hushing, luring slowly
With its influence holy,
With its song of love!
From the height above
Hushing, luring slowly
With its influence holy,
With its song of love!
Following where it leadeth,
Pilgrim feet shall stand,
Where the holy millions
Throng the fair pavilions
In the Glorious Land.
Pilgrim feet shall stand,
Where the holy millions
Throng the fair pavilions
In the Glorious Land.
386
Where the sevenfold ‘Worthy!’
Hails the King of kings,
Blent with golden clashing
Of the crowns, and flashing
Of cherubic wings;
Hails the King of kings,
Blent with golden clashing
Of the crowns, and flashing
Of cherubic wings;
Rolls the Amen Chorus,
Old, yet ever new;
Seal of blest allegiance,
Pledge of bright obedience,
Seal that God is true.
Old, yet ever new;
Seal of blest allegiance,
Pledge of bright obedience,
Seal that God is true.
Through the solemn glory
Alleluias rise,
Mightiest exultation,
Holiest adoration,
Infinite surprise.
Alleluias rise,
Mightiest exultation,
Holiest adoration,
Infinite surprise.
There immortal powers
Meet immortal song,
Heavenly immage bearing,
Angel-essence sharing,
Excellent and strong.
Meet immortal song,
Heavenly immage bearing,
Angel-essence sharing,
Excellent and strong.
Strong to bear the glory
And the veil-less sight,
Strong to swell the thunders
And to know the wonders
Of the home of light.
And the veil-less sight,
Strong to swell the thunders
And to know the wonders
Of the home of light.
387
Voice of many waters!
Everlasting laud!
Hark! it rushes nearer,
Every moment clearer,
From the Throne of God!
Everlasting laud!
Hark! it rushes nearer,
Every moment clearer,
From the Throne of God!
| The Poetical Works of Frances Ridley Havergal | |