The Vision of Prophecy and Other Poems By James D. Burns ... Second Edition |
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| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
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| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIV. |
| XV. |
| XVI. |
| XVII. |
| XVIII. |
| XIX. | XIX.
TO A CHRISTIAN FRIEND. |
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| XXI. |
| XXII. |
| XXIII. |
| XXIV. |
| XXV. |
| XXVI. |
| XXVII. |
| XXVIII. |
| XXIX. |
 | The Vision of Prophecy and Other Poems |  |
263
XIX. TO A CHRISTIAN FRIEND.
I saw thee not till slow decay
Had touched thy beauty's early bloom,
Till grief had met thee on thy way
And overcast thy life with gloom;
And yet, methought, thy face was bright
With gleams of an ethereal light.
Had touched thy beauty's early bloom,
Till grief had met thee on thy way
And overcast thy life with gloom;
And yet, methought, thy face was bright
With gleams of an ethereal light.
Yes! thine was beauty all unknown
To those who live through cloudless days;
The peace, possessed by them alone
Who meekly walk on Sorrow's ways,
Gleamed through thy spirit's fleshly veil,
And brightened all thy features pale.
To those who live through cloudless days;
The peace, possessed by them alone
Who meekly walk on Sorrow's ways,
Gleamed through thy spirit's fleshly veil,
And brightened all thy features pale.
The light of saintly Patience shone
Serenely in thy quiet eye,
And Hope thy marble brow upon
Set the clear signet of the sky,—
And Love was singing all day long
Within thy heart an angel's song.
Serenely in thy quiet eye,
And Hope thy marble brow upon
Set the clear signet of the sky,—
And Love was singing all day long
Within thy heart an angel's song.
264
And Faith, that can the light of Heaven
Beyond Time's streaming vapours see;—
All these to thee thy God hath given,
And He hath taught thy soul to be
Uplifted high without disdain,
And greatly purified through pain.
Beyond Time's streaming vapours see;—
All these to thee thy God hath given,
And He hath taught thy soul to be
Uplifted high without disdain,
And greatly purified through pain.
A darker path must yet be passed
Before those radiant bounds appear,
And anxious thoughts may overcast
Thy spirit with a natural fear;
But, safe in everlasting arms,
Thou need'st not dread unknown alarms.
Before those radiant bounds appear,
And anxious thoughts may overcast
Thy spirit with a natural fear;
But, safe in everlasting arms,
Thou need'st not dread unknown alarms.
The shadows may fall deep and chill
Upon thy lone mysterious way,
But thou shalt go unto the hill
Of frankincense, until the day
Shall lighten in the rosy East,
And wake thee up to endless rest.
Upon thy lone mysterious way,
But thou shalt go unto the hill
Of frankincense, until the day
Shall lighten in the rosy East,
And wake thee up to endless rest.
| The Vision of Prophecy and Other Poems | |