Stately elders, white around,- "Is your wisdom very wise, Loose thy prayer and let me go O'er the depths of God, and brought He the teacher is for me! He can teach what I would know; "Can your poet make an Eden No winter will undo? And light a starry fire, while heeding His hearth's is burning too? Drown in music the earth's din, FROM "ISOBEL'S CHILD.” And keep his own wild soul within Mother, albeit this be so Let me to my Heaven go! A little harp me waits thereby, - Shall I miss that harp of mine? We shall all be poets there, Gazing on the chiefest Fair! 287 "And love! earth's love! and can we love Fixedly where all things move? Can the sinning love each other? I tremble in thy close embrace,— I feel thy tears adown my face, Thy prayers do keep me out of bliss, - Loose thy prayer, and let me go Escape to thee from this below, The nurse awakes in the morning sun, The babe upon her arm was dead! "Wake, nurse!" the lady said; "I changed the cruel prayer I made, The dead, calm face; and I am calm: And Heaven is hearkening a new psalm. FROM "ISOBEL'S CHILD." 289 This earthly noise is too anear, Too loud, and will not let me hear And a sense of tune, A satisfied love, meanwhile, Which nothing earthly could despoil, O you, Earth's tender and impassioned few, Breaking the narrow prayers that may In His broad, loving will. 25 THE INFANT SPIRIT'S PRAYER. LINES ADDRESSED TO A LADY WHO HAD LOST HER HUSBAND AND CHILD. ANONYMOUS. "In heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father." SILENCE filled the courts of heaven, hushed were angel harp and tone, While a little new-born spirit knelt before the Eternal throne. As his small white hands were lifted, clasped as if in earnest prayer, And his voice in low, sweet murmurs rose like music on the air, Light from the full fount of glory on his robes of whiteness glistened, And the bright-winged seraphs round him bowed their radiant heads and listened. Lord, from thy world of glory here, Meekly hath she drained the cup, Comfort, comfort my sweet mother! |