Matin Bells and Scarlet and Gold By "F. Harald Williams"[i.e. F. W. O. Ward]. First Edition |
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THE PALACE OF PRAISE. III. |
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 | Matin Bells and Scarlet and Gold |  |
THE PALACE OF PRAISE. III.
Sat in his spare bones Praise-God-Barebones
Tuning his lusty pipe,
Homely his vesture, humble his gesture,
Richer his soul and ripe;
Lean was his fleshy house, and yet freshly
Touched with a heavenly ray,
Shed by the glory where he sat hoary
Praising his God alway;
Ancient his rusty garments, and dusty
Only from wrestling long—
He single-handed, he with withstanded
Evil and subject wrong;
Sharpening the edge of song,
Sharpening it merrily, sharpening it verily
Keen on good forges, keen against orgies
Licensed and stout and strong;
Solemnly living but by thanksgiving
Turned to a two-edged sword,
Loudly and lonely praising and only
Praising the blessèd Lord.
Praise ye the Lord!
Praise ye the Lord!
Tuning his lusty pipe,
Homely his vesture, humble his gesture,
Richer his soul and ripe;
Lean was his fleshy house, and yet freshly
Touched with a heavenly ray,
Shed by the glory where he sat hoary
Praising his God alway;
Ancient his rusty garments, and dusty
Only from wrestling long—
He single-handed, he with withstanded
Evil and subject wrong;
Sharpening the edge of song,
Sharpening it merrily, sharpening it verily
Keen on good forges, keen against orgies
Licensed and stout and strong;
Solemnly living but by thanksgiving
Turned to a two-edged sword,
Loudly and lonely praising and only
Praising the blessèd Lord.
Praise ye the Lord!
Praise ye the Lord!
Toiled in his spare bones Praise-God-Barebones
Daily a drudge for truth,
Worn to a skeleton only to tell it on,
Giving his years of youth
Bright as the morning, meat for the scorning
Lust of a godless time,
Draped like a cerement soiled from experiment
Taught by the graveyard grime.
Black was his raiment, mark of repayment
Offered by evil man—
Sign of his sorrows felt for the morrow's
Doom and the judgment ban,
After this earthly span,
Sure for the sinners now though the winners—
Badge of lamenting, shown by repenting
Seeking an outward plan.
Laboured he dimly onward and grimly,
Heaping his pious hoard,
Gauntly upraising palace of praising,
Praising the blessèd Lord.
Praise ye the Lord!
Praise ye the Lord!
Daily a drudge for truth,
Worn to a skeleton only to tell it on,
Giving his years of youth
Bright as the morning, meat for the scorning
Lust of a godless time,
Draped like a cerement soiled from experiment
Taught by the graveyard grime.
Black was his raiment, mark of repayment
Offered by evil man—
242
Doom and the judgment ban,
After this earthly span,
Sure for the sinners now though the winners—
Badge of lamenting, shown by repenting
Seeking an outward plan.
Laboured he dimly onward and grimly,
Heaping his pious hoard,
Gauntly upraising palace of praising,
Praising the blessèd Lord.
Praise ye the Lord!
Praise ye the Lord!
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