7. The Voice -
THE VOICE .
A SAINTLY Voice fell on my ear
Out of the dewy atmosphere:
" O hush, dear Bird of Night, be mute;
Be still, O throbbing heart and lute! "
The Night-Bird shook the sparkling dew
Upon me as he ruffed and flew;
My heart was still, almost as soon,
My lute as silent as the moon:
I hushed my heart, and held my breath.
And would have died the death of death.
To hear, — but just once more, — to hear
That Voice within the atmosphere.
Again The Voice fell on my ear,
Out of the dewy atmosphere!
The same words, but half heard at first, —
I listened with a quenchless thirst;
And drank as of that heavenly balm,
The Silence that succeeds a psalm:
My soul to ecstasy was stirred:
It was a Voice that I had heard
A thousand blissful times before;
But deemed that I should hear no more
Till I should have a Spirit's ear,
And breathe another Atmosphere!
Then there was Silence in my ear,
And Silence in the atmosphere;
And silent moonshine on the mart,
And Peace and Silence in my heart;
But suddenly a dark Doubt said:
" The fancy of a fevered head! "
A wild, quick whirlwind of desire
Then wrapt me as in folds of fire:
I ran the strange words o'er and o'er,
And listened breathlessly once more:
And lo, the third time, I did hear
The same words in the atmosphere!
They fell and died upon my ear,
As dew dies on the atmosphere:
And then an intense yearning thrilled
My Soul, that all might be fulfilled:
" Where art thou, Blessed Spirit, where?
Whose Voice is dew upon the air! "
I looked, around me, and above,
And cried aloud: " Where art thou, Love?
O let me see thy living eye,
And clasp thy living hand, or die! "
Again, upon the atmosphere,
The self-same words fell: " I Am Here . "
" Here? Thou art here, Love! " " I Am Here: "
The echo died upon my ear:
I looked around me — everywhere;
But Ah! there was no mortal there!
The moonlight was upon the mart,
And Awe and Wonder in my heart!
I saw no form! — I only felt
Heaven's Peace upon me as I knelt:
And knew a Soul Beatified
Was at that moment by my side!
And there was Silence in my ear,
And Silence in the atmosphere!
A SAINTLY Voice fell on my ear
Out of the dewy atmosphere:
" O hush, dear Bird of Night, be mute;
Be still, O throbbing heart and lute! "
The Night-Bird shook the sparkling dew
Upon me as he ruffed and flew;
My heart was still, almost as soon,
My lute as silent as the moon:
I hushed my heart, and held my breath.
And would have died the death of death.
To hear, — but just once more, — to hear
That Voice within the atmosphere.
Again The Voice fell on my ear,
Out of the dewy atmosphere!
The same words, but half heard at first, —
I listened with a quenchless thirst;
And drank as of that heavenly balm,
The Silence that succeeds a psalm:
My soul to ecstasy was stirred:
It was a Voice that I had heard
A thousand blissful times before;
But deemed that I should hear no more
Till I should have a Spirit's ear,
And breathe another Atmosphere!
Then there was Silence in my ear,
And Silence in the atmosphere;
And silent moonshine on the mart,
And Peace and Silence in my heart;
But suddenly a dark Doubt said:
" The fancy of a fevered head! "
A wild, quick whirlwind of desire
Then wrapt me as in folds of fire:
I ran the strange words o'er and o'er,
And listened breathlessly once more:
And lo, the third time, I did hear
The same words in the atmosphere!
They fell and died upon my ear,
As dew dies on the atmosphere:
And then an intense yearning thrilled
My Soul, that all might be fulfilled:
" Where art thou, Blessed Spirit, where?
Whose Voice is dew upon the air! "
I looked, around me, and above,
And cried aloud: " Where art thou, Love?
O let me see thy living eye,
And clasp thy living hand, or die! "
Again, upon the atmosphere,
The self-same words fell: " I Am Here . "
" Here? Thou art here, Love! " " I Am Here: "
The echo died upon my ear:
I looked around me — everywhere;
But Ah! there was no mortal there!
The moonlight was upon the mart,
And Awe and Wonder in my heart!
I saw no form! — I only felt
Heaven's Peace upon me as I knelt:
And knew a Soul Beatified
Was at that moment by my side!
And there was Silence in my ear,
And Silence in the atmosphere!
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