Men say it is a time for sleep and dreams; But now she throws no pall upon the space That spreads above me, like the God-like face Of Him Who looms behind it all. Meseems This is the hour for man to bend the knee Of the full soul to the Divinity. Above, below, on every side there hang These circling orbs. And out of keenest sight A myriad more pursue their pathless way Unerring, through the awful space, where day Is not, but an unending fearful night Shrouds the immensity. My GOD! the soul Of man should faint could he but see the whole! Sublimest silence. Yet 'tis broke, for near Some sparrow stirs the ivy on the wall, Calling me back to take account of this We little folk call 'life': to ask if bliss For us or sparrow be not all too small For Him to take account of, where He stands Holding the boundless heavens in His hands? Only, for Thee is neither great nor small! 'Tis human weakness but to count Thee so As I, poor mortal, find myself: the slave Of Time, himself but hastening to the grave. And Thou canst teach the tender blade to grow On this small world, -- and with an equal might Guide the low sweeping of the swallow's flight, Or hurl new systems from Thee. Thou art great, But smallness is a word of human ken! Trembling, my soul remembers this, and dares To breathe into the universe its prayers. For Thou art in the night, Thou Sun! and when We dwell in darkness of the mind, 'tis we That turn our faces from Thy radiancy. Seeing Thee there, I cannot lose the way Even in trackless places, where the soul Shivers to feel itself imprison'd here In the least part of some least rolling sphere. Whither we rush [218] , we know not; but the goal To Thee is known. Hold Thou me up, as Thou Holdest the universe above me now! Yet nearer. Come Thou nearer than to them! Blindly they follow Thy behest, but I Yearn for Thee strongly through my fleshly frame. And so, encompass'd with our flesh, He came, Thy Son, Thyself -- to make less far and high The distant Godhead. Now Thy heavens declare No far Creator, but a Father there! Footnotes: [218] See Note |
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