Classic Poem

But her the Angel raised and dried her tears,
With His serenest smiles, and blessed them both.
Come ye with me, He said, beloved come!
The handmaid's faith hath saved the mistress throne.
Be one my sister, and be one, my bride;
Each than the other dearer, more divine,
The world's wide doomring is the land I rule,
My home is Heaven, and mine inheritance
Both shall enjoy, predestinate of God .
The Father to the Son gives all in Time,
The Son restores all in Eternity
Unto His Sire; and I myself to Him.

Then, one by either hand, He led them up;
This, with the holy presence and august,
Most like the mother goddess, city-crowned,
Now tiar'd as with the towers of Paradise;
That, with the lucid crescent on her brow,
To the high seats of old prepared for both.

And all the angels and the spirits blest,
They who had erred and they who taught to err—
Along with those, who wise and pure withstood
Temptation, yet now wisest, humblest were—
Dwelt in that sphere, concentric with the Sun,
Which ruled the skies supernal; and they passed
Upward and downward as best listed them.

And Wisdom passed amidst them, like a thought
Among a gladsome circle. And the face
Of all the orbs was changed. Then, too, was seen
The great unveiling of all mysteries,
Creation glorified: in childlike calm,
Lapped in the mantle of eternal rest.

The jubilant song swelled circling through the courts
Of everlasting joy, like a round wave,
Till it suffused all life, and touched the stars
On the unlimited eye-line of pure space.

Smiled the Eternal Son, who can alone
Behold the Invisible and Heaven then saw,
Reflected in the face of Him Divine,
Born of the Light as eye glance of the Eye,
The unseen likeness of the Ineffable One;
Each like the other as the sky and sea,
Imbosoming the imaged Infinite,
The Son Eternal smiled; and from His throne
Stretched out the hand of blessing o'er the world;
And blest it was—for ever—blest it is.