 | English Roses |  |
MY GRANDFATHER.
This was his private chair,
It looked a throne,
Wherefrom he spake of all things fine and fair
And ruled alone.
We loved, who knew, him and his merits much
And fondly hung on every tone or touch,
That seemed to open the most awful bar
With sense oracular
And inward sight;
A sudden leap as into God's own Light,
Which unveiled other earth and other skies
And solemn mysteries.
It looked a throne,
Wherefrom he spake of all things fine and fair
And ruled alone.
We loved, who knew, him and his merits much
And fondly hung on every tone or touch,
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With sense oracular
And inward sight;
A sudden leap as into God's own Light,
Which unveiled other earth and other skies
And solemn mysteries.
His graceless grandson, I
Yet bowed to him,
And struggled vainly towards that station high
With purpose dim.
He was so patient with my wilful ways
And at the darkest dropt some kindly rays
Upon their tumult, till the great Heaven drew
Down to my humble view;
And God's white rose
Poured in me rapture of a strange repose,
Which summed the passion of all moments pure
That lived and yet endure.
Yet bowed to him,
And struggled vainly towards that station high
With purpose dim.
He was so patient with my wilful ways
And at the darkest dropt some kindly rays
Upon their tumult, till the great Heaven drew
Down to my humble view;
And God's white rose
Poured in me rapture of a strange repose,
Which summed the passion of all moments pure
That lived and yet endure.
Oh, in another land
He calmly dwelt,
And the mere waving of that dear old hand
Was kindly felt
By each, and with an eloquence unsaid
Talked to me when I erred and was afraid;
I knew he cared for all, and gathered me
Within the unbounded sea
Of his grand love,
And would have lifted me with him above;
Though then I walked in darkness, and my day
Seemed far and far away.
He calmly dwelt,
And the mere waving of that dear old hand
Was kindly felt
By each, and with an eloquence unsaid
Talked to me when I erred and was afraid;
I knew he cared for all, and gathered me
Within the unbounded sea
Of his grand love,
And would have lifted me with him above;
Though then I walked in darkness, and my day
Seemed far and far away.
This was his Bible, yet
For study set;
But not, alas! by him, who from that source
Mapt out our course,
And stept the first and with undoubtful voice
Declared God's Will and lived the larger choice.
It's like a book of travels, which he went
From isle to continent,
And charted too
With his own marks and measures through and through;
And thus I keep my bearings, and the road
No longer is a load.
For study set;
But not, alas! by him, who from that source
Mapt out our course,
And stept the first and with undoubtful voice
Declared God's Will and lived the larger choice.
It's like a book of travels, which he went
From isle to continent,
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With his own marks and measures through and through;
And thus I keep my bearings, and the road
No longer is a load.
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