Transfigured!

(“The Word was made flesh.”)

Garment of Flesh, to thee was given The virgin glow of sun and sod:— Dawn-woven in the loom of Heaven,— The last, the tenderest touch of God!

With human passion dear, divine, Thou dost the deathless soul supply; Altar and hearth alike are thine, Sweet bridal of the earth and sky!

The glory of Eternity Rests like a crown upon thy brow; Celestial light o’ershadows thee:— Blest mother of my Lord art thou!

BETRAYED.

Deceived, deflowered, despoiled! O drooping lily, late with light aglow! Around thy root is coiled The hidden horror of a nameless woe.

Deceived, defiled, despoiled! Is there no healing for a broken heart? O God! hadst Thou but foiled The fatal spell of the betrayer’s art.

Deceived, despised, despoiled! The blight has fallen on thy peerless bloom; To bless thy bridal eager ages toiled;— A moment’s glamour leaves thee endless gloom.

SUNSET.

Crimson and cloth-of-gold, His cloud-couch, rarely wrought;— To bower so beautiful No bride was ever brought.

Save his,—of tender grace,— Dear Twilight, faithful, fair, On whose sweet lips he seeks Surcease of toil and care.

O light ineffable! Wonder of wood and wold;— The vision and the pledge Of rapture manifold.

FULFILLMENT.

Lips to lips in rapture pressed,— Dearest secret of the breast In a moment all confessed;— Love is best; love is best!

Worn with care, by pain oppressed,— Empty arms and aching breast,— Longing for release and rest;— Death is best; death is best!

Home at last! O welcome blest! Heart to heart our loved ones pressed,— Of eternal life possessed;— Heaven is best! heaven is best!

CONTENTMENT.

Content with life’s allotted hours, Or brook or river,—may mine be Forever cheered by its unfailing Source,— A happy stream unhasting to the Sea,— With little children, birds and flowers, The dear companions of its tranquil course.

COMPANIONSHIP.

Lured by no lower goal between, From light to light still upward move, Aspiring to the heights serene Of magnanimity and love.

Thou shalt not take thy way alone;— The Beautiful, the True, the Good, Shall draw to thee, undream’d, unknown, Heaven’s fairest First-Born Brotherhood!

And with them, steadfast to the end, The sons of God of like degree, Earth’s noblest souls shall thee attend With kingliest, kindliest company.

ASPIRATION AND ATTAINMENT.

Two natures, ours,—two lives Attest our heavenly birth;— In “the third heaven,” one,— The other, on the earth.

One soars to realms above, Where saints and angels dwell; The other strives alone With all the powers of hell.

The soul’s clear vision, one, And ecstacy untold; The other, darkness, doubt, And sorrow manifold.

The one is triumph, rest; The other, struggle, pain:— A fearful fight, wherein Both prayers and tears seem vain.

And yet they are but one, Though worlds between them roll; One, also, their reward In God, their glorious goal.

For duty, in the dust, Is equally divine With victor wreath and crown Which in His presence shine.

A QUESTION OR TWO.

If, as you say, like dogs we die, Why, then, like angels live? Let faithless Reason make reply, And honest answer give.

What power shall check the downward trend Of wilful hearts of men, If in eternal nothing end Their three score years and ten?

That Virtue is its own reward— Think you sufficient cause To move men to the due regard Of Heaven’s holiest laws?

While blood is blood, and gold is gold, Alas, you vainly try, With fine-spun calculations cold, To lure us to the sky.

Be naught beyond to hold in awe The beast in every breast, Then tooth and claw shall be our law;— Why need to paint the rest?

Grant us for our protection here, This boon, Philosophy, If not the hope, the wholesome fear, Of immortality.

And, meanwhile, in our memory keep That earnest word of old:— Whate’er thou sowest thou shalt reap, In measure manifold.

OTHER SHEEP.

Pagan, Papist, Protestant! What is that to thee or me? Make not Heaven’s mercy scant With thy pampered bigotry.

Who made thee the judge to be Of thy brother’s destiny? Deem not that thy shibboleth Holds the keys of life and death.

Ah, that secret, sullen sign! Call it not decree divine; For a letter, more, or less, Measures not God’s tenderness.

“Other sheep I have,” said One Who was more than Mary’s son;— Eyes as blind as thine shall see His amazing charity.

When it claims the judgment-throne, What is creed but craft and cant? God will surely know His own:— Pagan, Papist, Protestant.

BY MANY PATHS.

By many names the one true God is known; By many shrines man’s faith in Him is shown;— Varuna, Vishnu, Agni, Indra,—One! As stars confess the all-sustaining sun. By many paths true, humble hearts are brought At last to Him whom they in darkness sought.

All lands alike the Father’s mercies share; No age was ever orphaned of His care;— For souls sincere, forever has sufficed The boundless merit of the blessed Christ; And over all forever shall extend The love that knows no measure and no end.