 | Women must weep |  |
184
FIRE.
Woman beautiful was meant for sorrow,
Made to walk along a thorny way,
Her inheritance is in the morrow
Of a brighter and more blessèd day;
Every creature has its place appointed
In the awful mystery of the years;
Some with chrism of gladness are anointed,
Some with ashes grey and gloomy fears;
Mist and shadow for the soaring mountain,
For the knave his sordid, knavish hire,
Rainbows for the leaping, laughing fountain,
Fuel for the fire.
Made to walk along a thorny way,
Her inheritance is in the morrow
Of a brighter and more blessèd day;
Every creature has its place appointed
In the awful mystery of the years;
Some with chrism of gladness are anointed,
Some with ashes grey and gloomy fears;
Mist and shadow for the soaring mountain,
For the knave his sordid, knavish hire,
Rainbows for the leaping, laughing fountain,
Fuel for the fire.
Woman, wondrous, is no common vessel,
Like an earthen pot for passing flame;
She in furnace must be rack'd and wrestle,
And baptizèd is with burning shame;
Other things more mean, that fail to linger,
Cannot bear the blinding, killing heat,
May but touch it with a toe or finger,
She within it has her thronèd seat;
Terrible the furnace's black surging,
Which doth wash away the clinging mire,
But the purest souls must have that purging,
That refining fire.
Like an earthen pot for passing flame;
She in furnace must be rack'd and wrestle,
And baptizèd is with burning shame;
Other things more mean, that fail to linger,
Cannot bear the blinding, killing heat,
May but touch it with a toe or finger,
She within it has her thronèd seat;
Terrible the furnace's black surging,
Which doth wash away the clinging mire,
But the purest souls must have that purging,
That refining fire.
Woman faithful to the Cross was nearest,
And most loyal to the plighted vow,
And the spirit to the Saviour dearest
Is the woman who stands by it now;
Woman penitent to death, who lately
Sinn'd and sorrow'd, and then dared to touch
Just His garment, and forgiven greatly
Dared again to live and love Him much;
But most lovely she, because most lowly,
Still shall ever feel the scorching dire;
For the closest to the One All-Holy,
Closest is to fire.
And most loyal to the plighted vow,
And the spirit to the Saviour dearest
Is the woman who stands by it now;
Woman penitent to death, who lately
Sinn'd and sorrow'd, and then dared to touch
Just His garment, and forgiven greatly
Dared again to live and love Him much;
But most lovely she, because most lowly,
Still shall ever feel the scorching dire;
For the closest to the One All-Holy,
Closest is to fire.
185
Woman crownèd, who shall reign for ever
Over new and recreated earth,
Only can abide the flames that sever
Ore eternal from the dross and dearth;
Only she, who passeth through the portal
Of the sepulchre of buried sin,
Can put on investiture immortal,
And the heritage of glory win;
Can attain the highest heavenly stature,
Cleansed from weakly lust and worldly ire,
She to whom God giveth His own nature,
Who Himself is fire.
Over new and recreated earth,
Only can abide the flames that sever
Ore eternal from the dross and dearth;
Only she, who passeth through the portal
Of the sepulchre of buried sin,
Can put on investiture immortal,
And the heritage of glory win;
Can attain the highest heavenly stature,
Cleansed from weakly lust and worldly ire,
She to whom God giveth His own nature,
Who Himself is fire.
| Women must weep | |