Classic Poem

SCENE I


FIRST ANGEL

Dear Brother, canst thou see,
Far down the gulfs of night,
That world to which so joyfully
Great Gabriel speeds his flight?
The shining of his wing,
Lights up the paths of space,
And all the baby planets sing
To see his radiant face.


SECOND ANGEL

Yea, Brother, I can see
That world and know its name,
For it, by Heaven's high decree,
Now wins a glorious fame;
'Tis called by mortals Earth,
And there, since time began,
The Father willed, through Virgin birth,
His Son should be made man.
Great Gabriel wings his way
To a sweet maiden's shrine,
To tell her on this glorious day, —
She, wrapt in trance divine, —
That God has now decreed
She shall be favoured,
And bear at length the Promised Seed
To bruise the serpent's head.


FIRST ANGEL

O Brother, such a theme
Sets all one's heart aglow;
'Tis like the rapture of a dream
That God should love man so.
We know how wondrous fair
The throne of Heaven is,
The songs that thrill the golden air
In never ending bliss;
And does the Eternal Son
In pity stoop so far
As to behold what things are done
On such a little star?
See, Brother, now at last
Great Gabriel's feet alight
Upon that world where sin has cast
A darkness deep as night.


SECOND ANGEL

Yea, Brother, more and more,
Thine eyes with joy shall see
The love that God the Son will pour
On frail humanity;
His brethren now they are,
For hark! the songs of praise,
Re-echoing from star to star,
Fill all the bounds of space
In Mary's virgin heart
A fount of rapture springs,
She wills to bear a mother's part
Unto the King of Kings.
And now the Light of Light,
From whom the worlds began,
Deigns with man's nature to unite
And be for ever man.

A weary way of life
His loving feet will tread,
And through the last most bitter strife
Go downward to the dead
But He by death shall win
The captives held in chain,
And, from the broken bonds of sin,
Shall bring His own again.
Then up to Heaven on high
His brethren He will raise,
To dwell with Him beyond the sky
And join our hymns of praise.
Hush, Brother, veil thine eyes,
Before this awful sight.
For now through all the throbbing skies
There dawns a wondrous light.
" Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: Blessed art thou among women.
Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive and bring forth a Son, and shalt call His name J ESUS .
He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David: And He shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of His kingdom there shall be no end."

" Behold the handmaid of the Lord;
Be it unto me according to thy word."

" My soul doth magnify the Lord: and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
For He hath regarded: the lowliness of His handmaiden.
For behold, from henceforth: all generations shall call me blessed.
For He that is mighty hath magnified me: and Holy is His Name.
And His mercy is on them that fear Him: throughout all generations.
He hath shewed strength with His arm: He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He hath put down the mighty from their seat: and hath exalted the humble and meek.
He hath filled the hungry with good things: and the rich He hath sent empty away.
He remembering His mercy hath holpen His servant Israel: as He promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed, for ever.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son: and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be: world without end Amen."