Golden Histories, etc By Wathen Mark Wilks Call |
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Uriel
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 | Golden Histories, etc |  |
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Uriel
The seraph Uriel, as the records tell
That angels write, from his allegiance fell:
And He who rules the worlds beyond the sun,
He in whom love and wisdom are made one,
Did hurl him from his royalty of light
To dwell amid the souls that wail in night;
Then Uriel felt his beauty fade away,
And a great grief came o'er him day by day,
But as his splendour withered for his sin,
Stronger and brighter grew the love within;
And so in silence, in his fiery gaol
He stood, rejoiced that love could yet prevail.
That angels write, from his allegiance fell:
And He who rules the worlds beyond the sun,
He in whom love and wisdom are made one,
Did hurl him from his royalty of light
To dwell amid the souls that wail in night;
Then Uriel felt his beauty fade away,
And a great grief came o'er him day by day,
But as his splendour withered for his sin,
Stronger and brighter grew the love within;
And so in silence, in his fiery gaol
He stood, rejoiced that love could yet prevail.
One day the ancient Gods that weep below
Accosted Uriel: “Uriel this great woe
“Will never pass, the stars will seek the sun,
“The universe shall end as it begun;
“But thro' the endless circle of the years
“Which angels know, shall neither hopes nor fears
“Visit the dwellers in these realms of fire;
“Therefore, when hate and anguish shall inspire,
“Ease thy full heart with curses deep as ours.
“For love will never win thee Eden's bowers.”
Then Uriel answered: “He who made the night,
“Crowned it with stars, and with the pure delight
“Of the clear moon: He who made all things frail,
“Decrees that sovran beauty shall prevail;
“There is no sorrow, friends, but it has still
“Some soul of sweetness in it; there's no ill
“But comes from him who made it and is good
“As fruit in season, leaf in budding wood,
“But if in this dread world all hope were vain,
“If penance were eternal, if such pain
“He could inflict and I endure, my will
“Would be to love thro' all this cruel ill.”
He ended, and the ancient Gods below
Ceased wailing, when they saw the mild calm glow
That wandered over that good angel's face,
Like moonlight on smooth waters, till the grace
That lay in his brave bearing and soft speech
Melted the hatred from the hearts of each;
And they stood up, and thro' the streets of Hell
The surge of countless voices rose and fell,
Praising the silent Power that dwells above,
Singing, “We love thee, Lord, for thou art Love.”
Accosted Uriel: “Uriel this great woe
“Will never pass, the stars will seek the sun,
“The universe shall end as it begun;
“But thro' the endless circle of the years
“Which angels know, shall neither hopes nor fears
“Visit the dwellers in these realms of fire;
“Therefore, when hate and anguish shall inspire,
227
“For love will never win thee Eden's bowers.”
Then Uriel answered: “He who made the night,
“Crowned it with stars, and with the pure delight
“Of the clear moon: He who made all things frail,
“Decrees that sovran beauty shall prevail;
“There is no sorrow, friends, but it has still
“Some soul of sweetness in it; there's no ill
“But comes from him who made it and is good
“As fruit in season, leaf in budding wood,
“But if in this dread world all hope were vain,
“If penance were eternal, if such pain
“He could inflict and I endure, my will
“Would be to love thro' all this cruel ill.”
He ended, and the ancient Gods below
Ceased wailing, when they saw the mild calm glow
That wandered over that good angel's face,
Like moonlight on smooth waters, till the grace
That lay in his brave bearing and soft speech
Melted the hatred from the hearts of each;
And they stood up, and thro' the streets of Hell
The surge of countless voices rose and fell,
Praising the silent Power that dwells above,
Singing, “We love thee, Lord, for thou art Love.”
Then the red dungeon burst its grates and bars,
And light came leaping in from suns and stars,
Lapsing down dreadful rifts; the Shapes below
Saw fragments of blue sky above them glow,
Like windows, thro' the clefts; they felt the air
Cooling their branded foreheads; everywhere
They saw the faces of young angels shine,
And golden fingers point to thrones divine,
While a low whisper murmured like the breeze
That comes and goes on tops of full-leafed trees,
And thus it said: “O loving angels, rise,
“Borne by your love thro' the unfolding skies;
“There is no sin, no sorrow, and no hell
“But they must cease where hearts love long and well,
“Where lips praise God in anguish, and confess
“There's love in pain, that even wrong can bless.”
And light came leaping in from suns and stars,
Lapsing down dreadful rifts; the Shapes below
Saw fragments of blue sky above them glow,
Like windows, thro' the clefts; they felt the air
Cooling their branded foreheads; everywhere
228
And golden fingers point to thrones divine,
While a low whisper murmured like the breeze
That comes and goes on tops of full-leafed trees,
And thus it said: “O loving angels, rise,
“Borne by your love thro' the unfolding skies;
“There is no sin, no sorrow, and no hell
“But they must cease where hearts love long and well,
“Where lips praise God in anguish, and confess
“There's love in pain, that even wrong can bless.”
The whisper ceased, and every soul, forgiven
By love, for love's sweet sake went up to heaven;
Each stood before his throne, fair, glad, and calm,
And God sat in the midst and heard the psalm
Which joyful angels raised in chorus bland,
And Uriel sat, like God, on God's right hand.
By love, for love's sweet sake went up to heaven;
Each stood before his throne, fair, glad, and calm,
And God sat in the midst and heard the psalm
Which joyful angels raised in chorus bland,
And Uriel sat, like God, on God's right hand.
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