Poems; original and translated by Charles Rann Kennedy ... and Two Poems by the Rev. Rann Kennedy. New Edition. By Charles Rann Kennedy |
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SCIENCE AND POESY. |
 | Poems; original and translated |  |
SCIENCE AND POESY.
The sun of old thro' ether's plain
Pursued his chariot-way,
Unyoked his coursers in the main
And quench'd his burning ray:
Pursued his chariot-way,
Unyoked his coursers in the main
And quench'd his burning ray:
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Now centre of a world, with force
He guides revolving spheres;
Earth wheeling her appointed course
Completes the days and years.
He guides revolving spheres;
Earth wheeling her appointed course
Completes the days and years.
Yet light and dark are still the same,
The morning dawns and fades,
The mountains blaze with noonday flame,
And cast their evening shades;
The morning dawns and fades,
The mountains blaze with noonday flame,
And cast their evening shades;
And earth to us in calm repose
Outspreads her bounteous store;
The field with fruit and harvest glows,
The streams their music pour.
Outspreads her bounteous store;
The field with fruit and harvest glows,
The streams their music pour.
Man hath not more than human grown;
Though Science wrings from time
The secrets of the vast unknown;
Though striving Heaven to climb,
Though Science wrings from time
The secrets of the vast unknown;
Though striving Heaven to climb,
Her Babel-temple she displays,
And seems of power divine;
The heart from earth she cannot raise
To worship at her shrine.
And seems of power divine;
The heart from earth she cannot raise
To worship at her shrine.
But Poesy no sooner wakes
Her golden-stringed lyre;
The heart of man she captive takes,
And sets his soul on fire;
Her golden-stringed lyre;
The heart of man she captive takes,
And sets his soul on fire;
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And up to Heaven she carries him,
And realms of beauty shows,
And then his eye, before so dim,
All bright and piercing grows.
And realms of beauty shows,
And then his eye, before so dim,
All bright and piercing grows.
Or if with her he soar not hence,
Still wondrous art he learns,
And by her magic influence
Earth into Heaven he turns.
Still wondrous art he learns,
And by her magic influence
Earth into Heaven he turns.
| Poems; original and translated | |