Classic Poem

There were who spared not breath to shew, that she
Strove in my heart her sister to supplant;
Though I, who knew her well, knew better far—
And, for that she was faithful, sought to bound
All blessing in herself—and circumscribe
Through forfeiture of infidelity,
The promise made to both, of highest bliss,
Which from their birthplace they had brought with them:
And writ in silvery phylacteries hung—
In the one openly, the other hid,
As though ashamed thereof—around their brows;
That so they might be known—those twins divine—
The daughters of the Most High God .


To each
As creatural life, was trial still decreed,
That they might know to relish good and joy—
The woe of saintly innocence accused—
The purifying suffering of sin.
Yet such—although they knew not this—that both
Should vanish, and good only and pure joy
Encrown each other finally. In all
Worlds there are truths and secrets only known
And justifiable, to Him who laid
Their sure foundations; trembling though they stand
Upon the countless columns of the air.

By secret instigation thus the heart
Was poisoned, of the Angel Queen, to shun,
And doubt her innocent sister. Time by time
Such imputations cast, failed not to work
Wrath in the royal breast, though reckless all
Of former love, or future. 'Twas enough
So proud presumption were but whispered round;
Thus visited.


Within the central square
Fronting the glittering palace stood the throne—
Which changed so much the aspect of that orb,
And which I told of first—whereon each day
She, ministering blind justice sat, absorbed
In love of her own empery; rapt to hear
The adulation of her foreign train;
To trifle with her sceptre as a toy
And court the rainbow flashes, startling bright,
Of the star-gemmed tiara; to her eyes
Jewels well worth the satrapies of Heaven;—
Rich in all fancied virtues to attract
Good, or from evil fend; the which same gems
She oft would deftly moralize, and prove
To the subservient glozers ranged around,
How well they did become her, how much stead,
The breast, the brow whereon they dazzling lay;
Now gleaming forth defiant, now reposed
In silent capabilities of light.

There, in her radiant siege, that angel Queen—
What time the Sister, so abased as wont
Meekly came forth in pale humility,
Low bending like the crescent moon, when first
Born of the golden calm the western sky
Rejoiceth in, prophetic, to perform
Due reverence—sat, and eyed askance; then spake;
While o'er her head attendants from behind—
Pavonian canopy of azure held,

In manner of a sunshade, her to screen
From the high glory that would else have slain:—
Fair seeming Sister, is it true that thou—
In my default—aspirest to espouse
The angel prince, my sometime lord and lover,
He exiled, thou in bonds? If so, content.
Ye well befit each other, and so far
As merits make, are equal, in my mind.

Answered the younger of the twain divine.

O heavenly consort!—O affianced bride
Of God 's own Son! Be there 'tween thee and me
Nor struggle, nor misdoubt. They both malign,
Who sow the seeds of discord broad-cast here.
We each have our forenoted lot. Be mine—
The power, the privilege of servitude.
Be thine, command. My faith can never change.
But thou hast fallen from service to a throne—
Though he who ever loves, nor swerves from that
His heart hath fixed on once—with me consort,
It is but for a season, and our talk
Is of thee always. Countless prayers are thine.

I, too, have my devotions, and serve God ,
Doubtless, although I worship not with thee,

Replied the elder, bowing from her throne;
We worship each our star, but all in Heaven.

We may not worship but the Invisible;—
Answered the younger, firm.