Classic Poem

God said; responsive silence caught the words
And hid them in her heart, as night the stars.

Glowing and sparkling in the life-rayed sun
Of the celestial firmament, glided up
On pinions wide of playful lightnings poised,
That sphere Elysian consummate in bliss,
And all the angels thereto bent their gaze
As stars in nightly council watch the earth.

Then looked and saw, three paces from the light,
'Midst of that pure and renovated orb,
Beside the gardened bank of a bright stream,
A fair and lofty lady, clad in robes
Of seagreen hue, engirdled with a zone
All variously tinct, and round her brow
Encrowned with peaks of quivering fire, a veil
Of heavenly azure. In one hand sh held
A tower, and in the other hand a tree.
Sat at her feet a melancholy maid,

Pale, perfect and serene, between whom passed,
A mutual smile of sympathy and trust,
As though their lot were linked; yet knew they not
How, nor the invisible presence of the Heavens.
These, as they both intently eyed, at last
One to the other spake. Sweet Sister, mine,
Sleep thou, and let me wait his coming sole.
Me He expects to watch, but would not thou.
Thereon, that lovely lady laid her down
Below a rock, whereby in woods embowered,
And scented with all flowers, the river flowed, —
Her last words, watch; in sooth, He will not come
Or not to me, who wrought him so great bale.

And the sun set; still watched the maiden meek,
And at midnight she prayed.

My Lord, my God !
Thine is the Spirit which commands and smiles;
The soul which serves and suffers; — Thine the stars
Tabled upon Thy bosom like the stones
Oracular of light, on the priest's breast;
Thine the minutest mote the moonbeams shew!
Let but Thy words come true, and all are blest;
Be but Thine infinite intents fulfilled, —
And what shall foil the covenanted oath
Whereon the mounded earth is based? — and lo!
The whole at last redeemed and glorified.

While thus she prayed, Heaven looking on, came down
From His eternal heights the Angel-God ,
Upon whose breast the sun blazed; and He stood
Between them; and the lady rose all pale;
But the mild maiden gladdened in her heart.

The Angel took the maiden by the hand,
And said, O thou who watchedst and hadst faith,
What shall be thy reward?

If I, she said
Have done well, 'twas from reverence of Thee
And love of Thy Divine love; she alas,
Being infinitely worthier of Thy heart,
Predestined from the first to Thy bright breast,
Than I the thousand virtues to proclaim,
Which own Thee Lord for ever. What though sin,
Serpent-like, fanged her, and she fell, I knew
That Thou by touch couldst heal her, and thy power
To do good equalled by Thy will to do,
Whose love is world-wide. Were there due to me
Of guerdon aught, it should be still to serve
And dwell with both for aye. Be, then, to her
The vow performed first promised, and let my
Betrothal, Lord! in her espousals end.

Then whelmed with gratitude, that royal dame,
In all her bridal beauty cast her down
And clasped her handmaid's knees and wept aloud.