Poems By William Walsham How ... New and Enlarged Edition |
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Stars and Graves.
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24
Stars and Graves.
“Solemn before us
Veiled, the dark Portal,
Goal of all mortal:—
Stars silent rest o'er us,
Graves under us silent.”
—Goethe. Tr. Carlyle.
Veiled, the dark Portal,
Goal of all mortal:—
Stars silent rest o'er us,
Graves under us silent.”
—Goethe. Tr. Carlyle.
The Poet scanned with mighty awe
The mystery of man;
He spake the strange things that he saw:
And thus it ran:—
The mystery of man;
He spake the strange things that he saw:
And thus it ran:—
‘The silent stars are overhead,
‘The silent graves below:
‘A dream between—how quickly fled!—
‘Is all we know.’
‘The silent graves below:
‘A dream between—how quickly fled!—
‘Is all we know.’
He pointed up—he pointed down—
The witnesses were there.
O'er the between a veil was thrown
He could not tear.
The witnesses were there.
O'er the between a veil was thrown
He could not tear.
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The Preacher saw the hand he raised,
And heard the words he spake;
And in his soul with grief amazed
A fire outbrake.
And heard the words he spake;
And in his soul with grief amazed
A fire outbrake.
‘Poet,’ he cried, ‘the things we see
‘They are not all we know;
‘The web of thy philosophy
‘I rend it so:’—
‘They are not all we know;
‘The web of thy philosophy
‘I rend it so:’—
He pointed with his eager hand
Behind and then before,—
‘And there, and there, for ever stand
‘Two wonders more.
Behind and then before,—
‘And there, and there, for ever stand
‘Two wonders more.
‘The silent stars sing out with mirth,
‘The graves with grass are green:—
‘Christ cometh twice upon the earth;—
‘We live between!’
‘The graves with grass are green:—
‘Christ cometh twice upon the earth;—
‘We live between!’
(1847.)
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