Songs Old and New ... Collected Edition [by Elizabeth Charles] |
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| THE BIRD, THE CHORISTER, AND THE ANGELS. |
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 | Songs Old and New |  |
59
THE BIRD, THE CHORISTER, AND THE ANGELS.
I.
Singing, singing, in the April copses
Brimful of delight.
For his joy the bird found day too narrow,—
Poured it into night.
Brimful of delight.
For his joy the bird found day too narrow,—
Poured it into night.
Till the music lavishly o'erflowing
For one little nest,
Filling all the region with its sweetness,
Floated East and West.
For one little nest,
Filling all the region with its sweetness,
Floated East and West.
And the wondering city thronged to listen,
Dullest hearts were stirred;—
Hidden in his own light-sphere of rapture
Little recked the bird.
Dullest hearts were stirred;—
Hidden in his own light-sphere of rapture
Little recked the bird.
In his solitude of joy enfolded,
Rapturously alone,
Thousand thousands gathering round might listen,
He but sang for one.
Rapturously alone,
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He but sang for one.
II.
Singing, singing, in the great Cathedral,
Clothed within with joy,
As without in whitest raiment festal,
Carolled, glad, the boy.
Clothed within with joy,
As without in whitest raiment festal,
Carolled, glad, the boy.
Through the floods of many waters choral
Rose that one pure voice,
Clear as church-bells through a city's murmurs
Pealed “Rejoice, rejoice!”
Rose that one pure voice,
Clear as church-bells through a city's murmurs
Pealed “Rejoice, rejoice!”
Soaring, soaring through the soaring arches
Free as any bird,
Raining thence in showers of rapturous music,—
Dullest hearts were stirred.
Free as any bird,
Raining thence in showers of rapturous music,—
Dullest hearts were stirred.
Till from far and wide the people gathered,
In a spell-bound throng.
While the child sang praise to God Eternal
Men but praised the song.
In a spell-bound throng.
While the child sang praise to God Eternal
Men but praised the song.
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III.
Weeping, weeping, on his bed at even,Weary sobbed the boy,
“All the joy is gone from all my singing,
All the old, free joy!
Like a roof of stone, the people's praises
Shut me from the light!
Take, oh take the praise away, and give me,
Give the lost delight!
Soars my voice, my heart can soar no longer,
Now no longer free!
Like a discord grating through Thy praises
Jars the praise of me!
Oh! that like a little bird unnoticed,
I might sing to Thee!”
IV.
Weeping, weeping in his lone cell lowly
Till to sleep he wept!
Loving, loving, watched above the angels
Smiling as he slept.
Till to sleep he wept!
Loving, loving, watched above the angels
Smiling as he slept.
(Never roof of stone, or stars, the Godhead
From their vision kept!)
Down the night on him from Choirs Celestial
Song and glory swept.
From their vision kept!)
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Song and glory swept.
Singing, singing songs that speak Creation's
Speechless ecstasy,
All the worlds were looking up to listen,
He looked up to see.
Speechless ecstasy,
All the worlds were looking up to listen,
He looked up to see.
Following upward songs and looks of angels
In his dream, the boy
Drank for one unutterable moment
Of the Well of Joy,
In his dream, the boy
Drank for one unutterable moment
Of the Well of Joy,
Gazed one moment on the Face whose Beauty
Wakes the world's great hymn,
Felt it, one unutterable moment
Bent in love o'er him;
In that look felt heaven, earth, men, and angels
Distant grow and dim;
In that look felt heaven, earth, men, and angels
Nearer grow in Him.
Wakes the world's great hymn,
Felt it, one unutterable moment
Bent in love o'er him;
In that look felt heaven, earth, men, and angels
Distant grow and dim;
In that look felt heaven, earth, men, and angels
Nearer grow in Him.
V.
On the morrow in the great Cathedral
Sang he, glad and free,
With the freedom of the bird who findeth
Worlds within one tree,
With the freedom of the holy angels
The face of God who see.
Sang he, glad and free,
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Worlds within one tree,
With the freedom of the holy angels
The face of God who see.
Singing, singing 'midst a wondering City
Rapturously alone!
Thousand thousands to the Song might listen,
He but sang for One!
Rapturously alone!
Thousand thousands to the Song might listen,
He but sang for One!
In His joy, as in a light-sphere folded,
By His love made free;
Singing thus for One, for all was singing,
Lifting all to Thee!
By His love made free;
Singing thus for One, for all was singing,
Lifting all to Thee!
| Songs Old and New | |