Beneath the azure sky
They wait so solemnly,
Our human hearts are in their presence still’'d;
As if the ages old
Their secrets there did fold,
Until, Creation’s purposes fulfilled,
Again shall sound the word,
Not as when Chaos heard
“Let there be light”—and darkness back did roll;
But, over land and sea,
“Let time no longer be,”—
And earth shall crumble like a burning scroll.
And yet there is a time,
Before the vesper chime
From nestling birds, and odorous leaves ascending,
When, in the west, the sun,
His day’s work almost done,
O’er purple clouds is for his farewell bending;
Then every icy crest
And every marble breast
With sudden life doth seem to heave and glow;
Touch’d by those ardent beams,
A golden glory streams
O’er adamantine heights and caves of snow,
And, blushing rosy red,
With joy, each radiant head,
In ether springs to meet the parting kiss—
Then every snow-white brow
Doth humbly seem to bow,
And sink to rest in quiet thankfulness.
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With meekly bended head, nor word, nor moan,
She turn’d her to the path none may retread,
Down the deep, solemn valley, dark and dread—
No hand to grasp in hers—alone—alone!
The watchers heard not as she hastened on,
So soft her footsteps fell; when past them fled
A tremulous, low breath;—and through the shade
They lifted up their eyes, and she was gone;
But o’er the stream they saw one golden ray,
Beneath whose radiance the hush’d waves grew bright
And on her earth-worn garments by the shore,
Trac’d they the words that summon’d her away—
“Haste thee, and cast aside thy robes of night,
For thee the sun hath risen, to set no more.”
II.
Oh! not alone; for, ever as she went,
No lamps beneath, no stars above to guide,
He who, unseen, she lov’d was at her side;
His was the pilgrim-staff whereon she leant;
He, to restore her soul, His comfort sent,
Her Shepherd still, though to her sight denied,
She knew His footsteps, and was satisfied;
A low sweet song breath’d from her soul’s content,
For all but angel ears two lowly sweet—
“I fear no evil, for I trust in thee;
I shall behold thee on that sun-bright shore;
By the still waters thou wilt lead my feet;
In thine own pastures green my rest shall be,
And I shall dwell with thee, and fall no more.”