 | Wood-notes and Church-bells |  |
284
GOD IS LOVE.
I sat beneath a full-leaved tree;
The south wind stirred each harp-like bough,
And set the whispered music free,
While shadows danced upon my brow.
The south wind stirred each harp-like bough,
And set the whispered music free,
While shadows danced upon my brow.
The wild flowers laughed before my feet,
Wreathing bright chains of pink and blue;
And scattering mingled odours sweet
Which floated on the morning dew.
Wreathing bright chains of pink and blue;
And scattering mingled odours sweet
Which floated on the morning dew.
The birds poured forth a blended voice,
Warbling their bliss around, above:
With leaves and flowers they sang, Rejoice,
O mortal man, for God is Love.
Warbling their bliss around, above:
With leaves and flowers they sang, Rejoice,
O mortal man, for God is Love.
285
I sat beneath another Tree
In thought; its outstretcht arms were bare;
It crowned the hill called Calvary;
No happy leaves were whispering there.
In thought; its outstretcht arms were bare;
It crowned the hill called Calvary;
No happy leaves were whispering there.
No flowers about that Tree were found,
But a sad wreath of thorns I saw;
And dewy drops were on the ground,
But such as filled my soul with awe.
But a sad wreath of thorns I saw;
And dewy drops were on the ground,
But such as filled my soul with awe.
And all the birds had flown away,
Except one gentle, white-winged Dove,
Which hovered near and seemed to say
With gracious accents, God is Love.
Except one gentle, white-winged Dove,
Which hovered near and seemed to say
With gracious accents, God is Love.
Then let me rest beneath this Tree,
Where precious thorns Earth's blossoms hide,
And let a sweet voice sing to me,
Thy God is Love, for He has died!
Where precious thorns Earth's blossoms hide,
And let a sweet voice sing to me,
Thy God is Love, for He has died!
| Wood-notes and Church-bells | |