 | The Burden of the Bell and Other Lyrics |  |
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EARTH.
Earth is very fair!
Earth's love clingeth to me!
Blessëd angels! ye who share
Heaven-loves pure and strong, oh, tear
These close earthly ties asunder
Ere their clasp undo me!
Earth's love clingeth to me!
Blessëd angels! ye who share
Heaven-loves pure and strong, oh, tear
These close earthly ties asunder
Ere their clasp undo me!
To the valleys, in the glory
Of their summer pomp arrayed—
To the giant mountains hoary—
To the dewy woodland's shade—
To the calm broad rivers, flowing
Through the pastures murmuringly—
To each grace of earth's bestowing,
They have bound me lovingly:—
Blessëd angels, blessëd angels, from this bondage set me free!
Of their summer pomp arrayed—
To the giant mountains hoary—
To the dewy woodland's shade—
To the calm broad rivers, flowing
Through the pastures murmuringly—
To each grace of earth's bestowing,
They have bound me lovingly:—
Blessëd angels, blessëd angels, from this bondage set me free!
Lo! I stand
By the dim and misty margin
Of an unknown strand,
On the utmost verge of time;
And God's great Eternity
Seemeth ever fronting me
With a solemn face sublime
And a solemn beckoning hand:
But—ah me! ah, woe is me!—
I shrink backward tremblingly;
Shrink and cling to life's fruition,
From the terrors of that vision,
From the unfolding of the portals of the shadowy spirit-land.
By the dim and misty margin
Of an unknown strand,
On the utmost verge of time;
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Seemeth ever fronting me
With a solemn face sublime
And a solemn beckoning hand:
But—ah me! ah, woe is me!—
I shrink backward tremblingly;
Shrink and cling to life's fruition,
From the terrors of that vision,
From the unfolding of the portals of the shadowy spirit-land.
Blessëd angels! let the shining
Of your beauty light the gloom:
Aid me, from your heaven inclining,
In this hour of strife and doom!
Close me round from earth's beguiling—
From her lingering fond embrace—
From her sunny sky's soft smiling,
And the pleading in her face!
Close me round, and with your singing
Into silence awe the crowd
Of familiar voices ringing
Round me, very clear and loud,—
From the meadow-grasses springing,
Dropping downward from the cloud.
Close me round!—yet stronger groweth
This undying love of mine,—
Stronger, as life's river floweth
Nearer to its fount divine.
Stronger—stronger, through all weeping—
Through all prayers poured ceaselessly—
Through all spirit-toil unsleeping—
Through all depths of agony:
Angels!—God! above the angels!—from this bondage set me free!
Of your beauty light the gloom:
Aid me, from your heaven inclining,
In this hour of strife and doom!
Close me round from earth's beguiling—
From her lingering fond embrace—
From her sunny sky's soft smiling,
And the pleading in her face!
Close me round, and with your singing
Into silence awe the crowd
Of familiar voices ringing
Round me, very clear and loud,—
From the meadow-grasses springing,
Dropping downward from the cloud.
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This undying love of mine,—
Stronger, as life's river floweth
Nearer to its fount divine.
Stronger—stronger, through all weeping—
Through all prayers poured ceaselessly—
Through all spirit-toil unsleeping—
Through all depths of agony:
Angels!—God! above the angels!—from this bondage set me free!
| The Burden of the Bell and Other Lyrics | |