Queen Berengaria's Courtesy, and Other Poems By the Lady E. Stuart Wortley. In Three Vols |
 | I, II, III. |
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THE HOUR OF SHADOWS. |
 | Queen Berengaria's Courtesy, and Other Poems |  |
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THE HOUR OF SHADOWS.
It is the time when shadows play
O'er all the earth and sky—
They thickly troop about the way,
And mock the uncertain eye.
O'er all the earth and sky—
They thickly troop about the way,
And mock the uncertain eye.
It is the time when sounds have ceased,
When silence deepeneth on—
Unto a breathless hush increased,
Awful as thunder's tone!
When silence deepeneth on—
Unto a breathless hush increased,
Awful as thunder's tone!
More awful yet than thunder's sound,
Or sounds of seas in storm—
When they at night, by winds unbound,
Writhe like some giant form
Or sounds of seas in storm—
When they at night, by winds unbound,
Writhe like some giant form
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For in that silence, dread and deep,
That inward voice is heard,
Which without breath doth swell and sweep—
Which speaks without a word.—
That inward voice is heard,
Which without breath doth swell and sweep—
Which speaks without a word.—
That still small Voice in our own souls,
'Tis heard in such an hour—
Oh! not the volumed thunder rolls
With half its thrilling power!
'Tis heard in such an hour—
Oh! not the volumed thunder rolls
With half its thrilling power!
It tells us of a thousand things
That we may well lament,
And home unto our hearts it brings
Truths we may well repent.
That we may well lament,
And home unto our hearts it brings
Truths we may well repent.
That whisper with its awful thrill,
Like the Earthquake's crash of doom,
Sounds through our Spirits—as that still
Sounds on through Night's thick gloom.
Like the Earthquake's crash of doom,
Sounds through our Spirits—as that still
Sounds on through Night's thick gloom.
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It is the time when stars are forth,—
A thousand heavenly eyes
Are looking down upon this Earth,
So dear unto those Skies.
A thousand heavenly eyes
Are looking down upon this Earth,
So dear unto those Skies.
These Worlds unto our Worlds may call
With deep harmonious voice,
And it may answer each and all,
And in their joy rejoice!
With deep harmonious voice,
And it may answer each and all,
And in their joy rejoice!
But we—poor worms, that crawl and creep
Upon its surface still,
Our senses to these concords deep
Were never taught to thrill!
Upon its surface still,
Our senses to these concords deep
Were never taught to thrill!
It is the time when Life and Death
Nearest and clearest seem—
The one seems like a floating Breath,
The other like a Dream!
Nearest and clearest seem—
The one seems like a floating Breath,
The other like a Dream!
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Either to other seemeth still
Nearest and dearest now.
(Death—surely like a fearful ill
No longer threatenest thou!)
Nearest and dearest now.
(Death—surely like a fearful ill
No longer threatenest thou!)
It is the time when hearts like ours,
Forgetting all beside—
Own Love's most high and heav'nly powers,
With loftiest hopes allied—
Forgetting all beside—
Own Love's most high and heav'nly powers,
With loftiest hopes allied—
Then every thought—then all our dreams
Grow beautiful with love,
As with the moonlight's bright'ning streams
The illumined Heavens above.
Grow beautiful with love,
As with the moonlight's bright'ning streams
The illumined Heavens above.
It is the time when deep Delight,
And Hope, and Truth, and Peace,
Seem mingling all in union bright,—
Union that shall not cease!
And Hope, and Truth, and Peace,
Seem mingling all in union bright,—
Union that shall not cease!
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Mingling into one blessedness
All dreams, all thoughts above—
Their blended name can be no less
Than pure, than perfect Love!
All dreams, all thoughts above—
Their blended name can be no less
Than pure, than perfect Love!
| Queen Berengaria's Courtesy, and Other Poems | |